ChainCatcher news, according to CoinDesk, Strategy founder Michael Saylor stated in an interview that many token issuers are actually "pretending" to be decentralized; they do not genuinely want to decentralize but are eager to enter the capital markets.The use case for digital tokens is to create capital and innovation, whether it's TRUMP coin, or tokens issued by people like Katy Perry and Joe Rogan. Whether it's smart contract tokens or utility tokens (like those that allow me to access a music library on a website), or possibly a super complex token and/or NFT, it is actually very convenient. However, if registered as securities, it requires a significant investment; you need lawyers and accountants, and you have to spend a lot of money each year to ensure compliance.

ChainCatcher News, the nominee for Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Paul Atkins, attended the confirmation hearing of the Senate Banking Committee, where he emphasized the necessity of establishing rules for digital asset management in his testimony, stating that this is an urgent challenge for both innovation and investor protection. Paul Atkins also criticized certain actions taken during Gary Gensler's tenure and committed to further investigating the FTX collapse to ensure a thorough examination of the incident, thereby protecting investors, promoting efficient markets, and facilitating capital formation.In response to questions from Senator Elizabeth Warren, Paul Atkins emphasized the need to divest all financial assets that may present conflicts of interest, including crypto-related assets and his consulting firm, Patomak Global Partners.

ChainCatcher News, U.S. Representatives Tom Emmer and Darren Soto have reintroduced the "Securities Clarity Act," aimed at clarifying the legal distinction between crypto assets and securities contracts, providing a compliance pathway for innovative projects. The bill has received support from Coin Center, the Blockchain Association, and others, and is seen as an important prelude to legislation on the structure of the U.S. crypto market. The bill emphasizes that "investment contract assets" should be distinct from the securities issuance to which they were originally attached, laying the legal groundwork for the reclassification of digital assets as commodities after decentralization.

ChainCatcher news, after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) agreed to dismiss the lawsuit, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse accepted an interview with Fox Business to discuss the company's next steps. He pointed out that the SEC's lawsuit has hindered Ripple's business in the U.S., resulting in 95% of its customers being overseas, but this situation is about to change.Brad Garlinghouse emphasized Trump's executive order on cryptocurrency, particularly the establishment of strategic Bitcoin reserves and digital asset reserves, which creates a more favorable environment for U.S. crypto companies. Therefore, Ripple plans to shift its focus to the U.S. and aims to enter financial sectors such as payments, real estate, and securities trading.

ChainCatcher news, according to Reuters, the Massachusetts Securities Division has launched an investigation into Robinhood due to the recent launch of an in-app prediction market center that allows users to bet on the outcomes of various events, including the results of the "March Madness" college basketball tournament.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, the securities dealer Ocree Capital announced the launch of a regulated real estate platform Ocree in Canada, allowing investors to purchase tokenized shares of commercial real estate on the Polymesh blockchain.It is reported that there is commercial real estate listed for sale on the platform in Winnipeg, Manitoba, valued at $51.9 million, where investors can obtain partial shares of 156 units of A-class multi-family properties in that real estate.

ChainCatcher News, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released a statement on March 20, stating that the "mining activities" of the proof-of-work (PoW) mechanism do not constitute the issuance of securities under the definitions of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.The statement pointed out that neither individual mining nor pool mining meets the key element of "reasonable expectation of profits derived from the efforts of others" in the Howey Test.The SEC stated that miners secure the network, validate transactions, and add new blocks by contributing computational resources, and the rewards they receive are payments for the services provided to the network, rather than profits derived from the efforts of others. The SEC emphasized that this determination applies only to specific types of mining activities, and other transactions involving crypto assets will still require case-by-case analysis.

According to ChainCatcher news, as reported by China Fund News, HashKey Capital has officially obtained a Type 1 license issued by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), further expanding its business scope and capabilities under the regulation of the Hong Kong SFC.Previously, HashKey Capital held Type 9 and Type 4 licenses, allowing it to provide asset management products and investment advisory services. With the acquisition of the Type 1 license, HashKey Capital will be able to offer brokerage services to retail and professional investors, as well as sell various funds and structured products, including funds and products related to virtual assets.The new services are mainly divided into three categories: market access, investment funds, and structured products. HashKey Capital partner Vivien Wong stated that this will enable the company to provide a wider range of investment options for investors with different risk preferences and further promote the popularity of virtual assets in Hong Kong.

ChainCatcher news, according to News.bitcoin, the North Dakota Securities Department has issued a warning that some "investment education foundations" claim to teach investors about cryptocurrency and stock knowledge, but are actually scams. These scams use deceptive tactics, including "risk-free" trials and fake loans, to persuade victims to invest and pay excessive commissions.These scams often start with social media ads that lead potential victims to WhatsApp groups operated by fake founders and automated bots. In these groups, the so-called founders offer investment courses and then introduce a fraudulent cryptocurrency exchange. Investors initially receive "free" tokens to test an AI trading bot, which falsely generates profits.Encouraged by the illusion of success, people deposit real money, and if they are short on funds, the scammers direct them to fake loan providers on Telegram. These loans are directly credited to the fraudulent exchange, but victims soon discover that they cannot withdraw any funds unless they repay the loans or pay fake commissions. The scam freezes accounts under the pretext of regulatory issues, and then the scammers shut down the business and rebrand under a different name. To gain credibility, the scammers may present real government documents claiming registration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and publish misleading articles online.

ChainCatcher news, according to the Securities Times, in the capital market, cracking down on false "small essays" in the stock market and seriously investigating illegal stock recommendations and other violations is one of the important measures to protect investors' legitimate rights and interests and maintain the order and stable, healthy development of the capital market.The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) has made the rectification of false information in the stock market an important part of standardizing the dissemination order of capital market information and improving the market ecology, adhering to a combination of short-term and long-term strategies, focusing on early intervention, impactful actions, and key areas, implementing comprehensive measures and multiple approaches to carry out the rectification.With the strong support of public security, internet information, and other departments, the CSRC has severely cracked down on the fabrication and dissemination of stock market rumors through a full-chain linkage of monitoring, identification, handling, warning, and investor education. In particular, a special rectification work plan has been formulated for false "small essays" in the stock market, strengthening public opinion monitoring and the investigation of false information; comprehensively using clarification releases, third-party journalist verification, and other forms to enhance proactive responses and debunking; and strengthening investor education and guidance to improve investors' discernment.Recently, public security authorities have successively investigated and dealt with individuals responsible for fabricating and disseminating rumors such as "institutional reports on hot money" and "J.P. Morgan research reports."

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, the Argentine National Securities Commission (CNV) has finalized regulatory rules for Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP).The new regulations cover registration obligations, cybersecurity, asset custody, anti-money laundering, and risk disclosure, requiring mandatory separation of company and client funds, annual audits, and monthly reports to the CNV. Starting in 2024, VASPs operating in Argentina must register with the Virtual Asset Service Provider Registry (PSAV), and violators may have their registration revoked.CNV Chairman Roberto E. Silva stated that institutions failing to comply with the regulations will not be able to operate in Argentina.

ChainCatcher news, according to documents disclosed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, financial institution on-chain operating system provider Tokeny recently sent a letter to the SEC's crypto working group, proposing recommendations for the regulation of digital securities.The company made four main recommendations in the letter:The same assets should be subject to the same rules, regardless of changes in regulatory methods due to technological forms;Acknowledge the legal status of tokens as proof of ownership;Avoid imposing additional custody requirements on digital securities;Allow the use of blockchain as a settlement layer, without hindering trade discovery.

ChainCatcher message, there have been multiple cases of fake Binance SMS scams appearing in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) responded by stating that under the Securities and Futures Ordinance and the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance, conducting regulated activities and providing virtual asset services in Hong Kong without a license, and/or actively promoting such services to Hong Kong investors from outside Hong Kong, constitutes a crime. The SFC will not hesitate to take appropriate action against any violations, but will not comment on individual cases. Investors are reminded to only trade virtual assets on virtual asset trading platforms licensed by the SFC.

ChainCatcher news, according to official sources, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the State Securities Commission of Vietnam (SSC) have announced enhanced cooperation in the regulation of capital markets and the regulatory framework for digital assets to support the development of Vietnam's regulatory framework for digital assets.

ChainCatcher news, Mizuho Securities has given Coinbase stock a "neutral" rating and lowered its target price from $280 to $217. Coinbase's stock price fell nearly 20% on Monday trading day and has dropped about 27% in the past month. However, Mizuho Securities analysts are not worried about the decline in the crypto market, as the firm previously predicted that daily spot trading volume on the Coinbase platform will reach $4.5 billion in the first quarter of 2025.

ChainCatcher news, the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission has released the "A-S-P-I-Re" roadmap for the Hong Kong virtual asset market. The Hong Kong SFC stated that in order to stay ahead in this ever-changing environment, the regulatory roadmap is based on five pillars, namely "A-S-P-I-Re" (Access, Safeguards, Products, Infrastructure, and Relationships), aimed at guiding the Hong Kong virtual asset ecosystem into the future.The 12 specific measures in this roadmap include promoting market participation, implementing adaptive compliance and product frameworks, and upgrading infrastructure by combining the reliability of traditional finance with the efficiency of blockchain technology. This series of measures reflects our pragmatic approach to solidifying Hong Kong's role as a reliable virtual asset liquidity hub.

ChainCatcher news, according to Jin10 data, Nomura Securities expects the European Central Bank to implement only one 25 basis point rate cut this year.

ChainCatcher message, the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission warns the public to be cautious of an entity operating under the name "Linkbex" that is suspected of engaging in fraud related to virtual assets. Linkbex falsely claims to have connections with seven companies licensed by the Securities and Futures Commission in Hong Kong.Investors have also reported that their accounts at Linkbex were locked due to a so-called "SFC anti-money laundering investigation." The Hong Kong Police Force has taken action to block the relevant websites of Linkbex at the request of the Securities and Futures Commission.

ChainCatcher news, Startale's CEO Sota Watanabe revealed on X: The ruling party in Japan has proposed establishing a new cryptocurrency regulatory framework under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. If this proposal is passed this year, cryptocurrencies may not be regulated as securities but rather be considered a new asset class, potentially leading to the launch of crypto ETFs and a reduction in the tax rate from a maximum of 55% to 20%.The government has been engaging in dialogue with Japanese industry leaders, and this move is seen as a positive outcome of collaboration between regulators and the industry, which is expected to attract more Japanese investors into the on-chain market.

ChainCatcher news, according to Jinshi reports, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) issued a letter in response to proposals from the Second Session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. It mentioned that the CSRC and relevant departments will further optimize and expand the connectivity between the mainland and Hong Kong financial markets, continuously improve mechanisms such as Stock Connect, Bond Connect, and mutual recognition of funds. They will conduct in-depth research and demonstration on the feasibility of Hong Kong companies listing in the mainland based on existing experiences, continuously promote the optimization of the "Cross-border Wealth Management Connect" pilot program in line with market demand, and orderly carry out the pilot of digital RMB in Hong Kong based on actual conditions, comprehensively deepening practical cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong, and consolidating and enhancing Hong Kong's status as an international financial center.