Japanese Yen Plunges to 32-Year Low Against US Dollar — Another Intervention by Authorities Expected

The Japanese yen’s exchange rate versus the U.S. dollar recently plunged to its lowest rate in 32 years — 147.66 JPY per dollar. The yen’s latest fall comes less than a month after its slip in September prompted authorities to enter foreign exchange markets for the first time since 1998. Gap Between US Treasuries and … Read more

Top US Regulators Urge Congress to Pass Legislation on Crypto Assets

The U.S. Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC), a group of the country’s top financial regulators, has urged Congress to pass legislation for the regulation of crypto assets. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said: “Crypto-asset activities could pose risks to U.S. financial stability if their interconnections with the traditional financial system or their overall scale were to … Read more

UAE Now Requires Agents to Report Real Estate Transactions Where Virtual Currency Is Used as Payment

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has said it now requires real estate agents, brokers, and law firms to report to the Financial Intelligence Unit real estate transactions in which virtual currency is used as payment. Similarly, real estate purchases or sales where “the funds used in the transaction are derived from a virtual asset” must … Read more

ECB Considers Capping Digital Euro in Circulation at 4,000 per Capita, Panetta Reveals

With concerns about financial stability in mind, the European Central Bank (ECB) plans to limit digital euro holdings, according to Board Member Fabio Panetta. The plan is to have a maximum amount of digital cash in circulation similar to that of euro banknotes today, the official unveiled. Eurozone’s Central Bank to Keep Total Digital Euro … Read more

Bank of England’s Cunliffe Warns Crypto Will See Tough Times as Federal Reserve Tightens Financial Conditions

Bank of England’s deputy governor for financial stability, Sir Jon Cunliffe, has warned of hard times ahead for cryptocurrency investors as the Federal Reserve and other central banks tighten monetary policy. Bank of England’s Executive Warns About Crypto Sir Jon Cunliffe, deputy governor for financial stability at the Bank of England (BOE), had a warning … Read more

Bank of Spain Governor Highlights Need for Fast Regulation in Defi and Crypto

Pablo Hernández de Cos, governor of the Bank of Spain and chair of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, explained that the cryptocurrency space and decentralized finance (defi) need to be regulated swiftly to avoid risks of financial instability. Hernandez de Cos also mentioned how this swift approach should bring the crypto financial system into … Read more

US Lawmakers Push for Urgent Stablecoin Regulation — Fed Warns of Stablecoin Runs, Janet Yellen Cites UST Fiasco

As U.S. lawmakers push for the urgent regulation of stablecoins, the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) and the Federal Reserve Board warn about the risks of stablecoin runs that threaten the country’s financial stability. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen brought up the terrausd (UST) fiasco as an example of why a comprehensive regulatory framework is urgently … Read more

South African Central Bank Governor: Regulators and Policymakers Must Be Involved in Shaping Potential Move to DLT Markets

The head of the South African central bank has insisted that regulators and policymakers should be involved in directing any potential move to markets that are based on distributed ledger technology (DLT). Pondering the Implications of Innovation The governor of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB), Lesetja Kganyago, has argued that central banks, regulators, and … Read more

Namibian Central Bank Announces Plan to Launch CBDC

Johannes Gawaxab, the governor of the Bank of Namibia (BON), has said his organization is planning to launch a central bank digital currency (CBDC). The governor, however, warns the launch might have implications for financial stability. BON Researching CBDCs The BON governor, Johannes Gawaxab, recently confirmed that the central bank is now planning to launch … Read more

Rwanda May Not Reach Decision on CBDC Issuance Until End of 2022 — Central Bank Official

The Rwandan central bank may not know whether it can issue a digital currency until December 2022, when it completes a study that looks at the benefits and risks that come with such a currency, the bank’s deputy governor has said. The Investigation Phase The deputy governor of the Rwandan central bank, Soraya Hakuziyaremye, recently … Read more