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NLJ this week: cyber law & cryptoassets

16 April 2021
Issue: 7928 / Categories: Legal News , Cyber , Technology , Financial services litigation
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2021 ‘big year’ for cryptocurrency regulation

As the importance of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in the financial markets continues to rise, so too do calls for increased regulation.

Writing in NLJ this week, Celso de Azevedo and Marc Samuels, both of 36 Group, explore the most recent regulatory developments both in the UK and US. They note that Mastercard is integrating Bitcoin into its payment systems, BNY Mellon has announced plans to hold Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies for its clients and Tesla recently bought $1.5bn of Bitcoin for its corporate treasury.

‘These events reflect a surge of institutional interest in the emerging Bitcoin and cryptoasset class,’ they write. And ‘just as we have seen growth in value, so too have we seen a flurry of regulatory and political activity in connection with cryptocurrency in the first quarter of 2021.’

Their article looks at recent developments on regulation and explains why 2021 could be ‘a big year for cryptocurrency regulation’.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Serious injury teambolstered by high-profile partner hire

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Firm strengthens employment team with partner hire

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

Lawyers’ liability practice strengthened with partner appointment in London

NEWS
Commercial leasehold, the defence of insanity and ‘consent’ in the criminal law are among the next tranche of projects for the Law Commission
Tech companies will be legally required to prevent material that encourages or assists serious self-harm appearing on their platforms, under Online Safety Act 2023 regulations due to come into force in the autumn
The Bar has a culture of ‘impunity’ and ‘collusive bystanding’ in which making a complaint is deemed career-ending due to a ‘cohort of untouchables’ at the top, Baroness Harriet Harman KC has found
Lawyers have broadly welcomed plans to electronically tag up to 22,000 more offenders, scrap most prison terms below a year and make prisoners ‘earn’ early release
The ex-wife of a Russian billionaire has won her bid to bring her financial relief claim in London, in a unanimous Court of Appeal decision
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