UK’s FCA Suspends Epayments Service – Over £100M Frozen and Alleged Onecoin Connection

Epayments, one of the largest payment providers in the U.K., has halted operations after the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) suspended the company for “weaknesses” related to its anti-money-laundering (AML) process. Since Epayments shut down on February 11, customers have been complaining because they cannot access their money. Reports also detail that if the firm becomes … Read more

UK Crypto Startups to Pay Discounted £2,000 Fee for Registration, FCA Revises Application Charges

Young and small cryptocurrency businesses will pay lower registration fees than big companies, the United Kingdom’s financial watchdog has decided after consultations with members of the industry. The revised fee scheme takes into account the firms’ income to determine the amount they’ll be charged to cover supervision costs. Also read: Singapore Introduces Licensing for Crypto … Read more

Bitgo Obtains $100M Insurance Policy to Cover Crypto Assets

Cryptocurrency wallet service provider Bitgo has secured a $100 million policy through Lloyd’s insurance to cover crypto assets that are completely under the company’s control, such as those held in its business wallet and custody offerings. The policy covers issues like insider theft by employees, loss or damage of private keys and hacks. Also read: Survey … Read more

67 Cryptocurrency Companies Probed by UK Regulator

The U.K.’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has reportedly provided an update of its investigations of crypto companies. A total of 67 inquiries were launched, 49 of which have been closed, leaving 18 businesses currently under investigation. The UK government has reportedly said it is ready to give power to the FCA to regulate the crypto … Read more

UK Government Moots Ban on Cryptocurrency Derivatives

The U.K. government is considering a ban on cryptocurrency-linked derivative products. The Financial Conduct Authority said in a report on Oct. 29 that it will begin consultations on whether to ban the sale of derivatives based on digital coins like BTC as well as to restrict crypto-based contracts of difference to the public. Virtual currency … Read more

Facebook to Be Sued for Defamation Related to Scammy Bitcoin Ads

In what is being referred to as a “groundbreaking lawsuit”, United Kingdom financial guru Martin Lewis is taking aim at Facebook’s lack of vigilance with regard to fake accounts. Mr. Lewis claims his likeness and reputation were used in multiple fraudulent instances, peddling mostly investment advice for assets such as bitcoin. Also read: James Bond-Like … Read more

England: Unauthorized Crypto Futures and ICOs are Criminal Offences

In a statement released 6 April 2018, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) of England attempted to clarify its jurisdiction in the ever-booming cryptocurrency industry. While acknowledging cryptos are “not currently” regulated by the bureau, crypto futures, contracts for difference (CFDs), options, and initial coin offerings (ICOs) do indeed fall under their purview. Furthermore, crypto firms … Read more

Coinbase Reveals Partnership With Barclays Bank

Coinbase has revealed that it has obtained a bank account with major U.K-based multinational financial services company, Barclays. The partnership comprises the first agreement reached between a leading U.K bank and a cryptocurrency exchange. Also Read: Secretive High-Tech Wall Street Trading Firm is Now Trading Bitcoin Coinbase Opens Account With Barclays The opening of an account … Read more