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US securities watchdog declares all-out war against crypto, files 130 cases

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US securities watchdog declares all-out war against crypto, files 130 cases


Two lawsuits filed this week by the US market regulator — the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) — could potentially determine the future of cryptocurrency.


Binance.com, the world’s largest crypto exchange, related entities and founder Changpeng Zhao were the target of the first lawsuit, which was filed on June 5. The next day, on the regulator’s 89th birthday, the SEC filed its second suit, now against Coinbase, another large exchange.


“There is nothing about the crypto securities markets that suggests that investors and issuers are less deserving of the protections of our securities laws,” SEC chair Gary Gensler said in a speech just days later on Thursday.


He added that crypto exchanges and promoters have long been aware of the rules of the road for trading in cryptos — through SEC orders and enforcement actions — but they have chosen to ignore them or dismiss as they “may have made a calculated economic decision to take the risk of enforcement as the cost of doing business”.


“You simply can’t ignore the rules because you don’t like them or because you’d prefer different ones: the consequences for the investing public are far too great,” Gurbir S. Grewal, head of the SEC’s enforcement division, said regarding the lawsuit against Coinbase.

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Starting out with nothing in 2009-10, crypto is now an estimated to be a $1 trillion business, operating mostly in a regulatory grey zone.


Crypto exchanges have contended that their offerings — tokens — are not like securities and, therefore, their exchanges are unlike those that need to subject themselves to the usual rules.


The US regulator disagrees. And under the leadership of Gensler, who was appointed by US President Joe Biden in 2021, it has sought to assert its jurisdiction over the crypto exchanges arguing, its offerings — tokens — are securities and they must be registered with the regulator as others and so should their exchanges.


It has brought about 130 crypto lawsuits thus far, forcing smaller companies to shut down and others, who can afford the steep cost of litigation, to settlements.


Bitcoin and Coinbase are looking at fines if judges side with the SEC or settlements. These are civil suits and will not lead to imprisonment, but the Department of Justice (DOJ) could jump in at any stage in these or other cases, then jail terms become a possibility.

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Sam Bankman-Fried, founder and head of FTX crypto exchange that went bankrupt in November 2022, was among those who heard from the department of justice, and is now facing jail. He is accused of stealing money from FTX customers for lavish purchases for himself, donations to politicians and risky trade deals.


FTX and such like disasters await investors because of crypto exchange and their promoters’ defiance of rules that apply securities trade in general.


“These types of misconduct and bankruptcies are more likely to happen in markets whose issuers and intermediaries fail to comply with foundational laws,” SEC chair Gensler has said, adding: “Even when we might not find fraud or such blatant misconduct, investors need proper disclosure, segregation of their hard-earned assets, and confidence that they are not trading against the house.”


Binance, which has denied the SEC charges and has said it will contest them in court, has been accused of, among other things, “wash trading” to boost trading volumes.


–IANS

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(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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What Is Toncoin (TON) Cryptocurrency? The Complete Guide

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What Is Toncoin (TON) Cryptocurrency? The Complete Guide

Buying Toncoin is a relatively straightforward process that can be completed in just a few steps:

Step 1: Choose a Cryptocurrency Exchange

The first step is to choose a reputable cryptocurrency exchange that lists Toncoin. Some popular exchanges that list Toncoin include Coinbase, Binance, and Kraken. Consider factors such as fees, security, and user interface when selecting an exchange.

Step 2: Sign Up and Verify Your Account

Once you’ve chosen an exchange, create an account by providing some basic information such as your name, email address, and password. You must also verify your identity through a know-your-customer (KYC) process, which typically involves uploading an image of a government-issued ID and a selfie.

Step 3: Deposit Funds

Next, deposit funds into your exchange account using a payment method accepted by the exchange, such as a bank transfer, card, or another cryptocurrency.

Step 4: Buy Toncoin

After depositing funds, navigate to the exchange’s trading platform and search for Toncoin (TON). Click “Buy” and enter the amount of Toncoin you want. You will need to decide whether to use a market order to buy instantly or a limit order to set the price at which you would like to buy it later. Review the transaction details and confirm the purchase.

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Step 5: Store Your Toncoin

Finally, transfer your Toncoin to a secure wallet to store your coins safely. While many people opt to keep their cryptocurrencies on the exchange they used to buy them, this isn’t always the safest way to store them as it requires trusting a third party to look after your assets. Instead, you can use a self-custody wallet to store your assets, which is generally safer if set up correctly.

Now you have successfully purchased TON, remember to stay up to date on the latest news and project developments so you can manage your investment effectively. As with any investment, it’s essential to always do your research, set a budget, and only invest what you can afford to lose.

This article is not an endorsement of any particular cryptocurrency, broker or exchange nor does it constitute a recommendation of cryptocurrency or CFDs as an investment class.  Cryptocurrency is unregulated in Australia and your capital is at risk. Trading in contracts for difference (CFDs) is riskier than conventional share trading, not suitable for the majority of investors, and includes the potential for partial or total loss of capital. You should always consider whether you can afford to lose your money before deciding to trade in CFDs or cryptocurrency, and seek advice from an authorised financial advisor.

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Trump Digs Deeper Into Cryptocurrency? Bakkt Shares Soar On Reported Interest From President-Elect's Media Company – Bakkt Hldgs (NYSE:BKKT)

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Trump Digs Deeper Into Cryptocurrency? Bakkt Shares Soar On Reported Interest From President-Elect's Media Company – Bakkt Hldgs (NYSE:BKKT)

Donald Trump was viewed as the more pro-cryptocurrency presidential candidate in the 2024 election and his support for crypto could get another push with a report that his media company is acquiring a cryptocurrency trading company.

What Happened: Shares of Bakkt Holdings BKKT are soaring Monday on reports the cryptocurrency company, which went public in October 2021 via SPAC merger, is being acquired by Trump Media & Technology Group DJT.

The media company co-founded by Trump, which owns the Truth Social platform, is in advanced talks to acquire Bakkt, according to the Financial Times. The report said Trump Media & Technology Group would acquire the cryptocurrency company, which is backed by Intercontinental Exchange ICE, in an all-share deal.

Benzinga reached out to Trump Media & Technology Group for comment on the report and will update the story accordingly. Benzinga has also contacted Bakkt for comment.

Bakkt’s first CEO was Kelly Loeffler, who was previously a member of the U.S. Senate, representing the state of Georgia as a Republican. Loeffler is helping to organize Trump’s inauguration in January and has close ties to the president-elect.

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The Intercontinental Exchange, which owns the New York Stock Exchange, owns a reported 55% of Bakkt. The exchange company would have to give approval to any such sale to the Trump media company.

Did You Know?

Why It’s Important: Bakkt said in June it was exploring strategic alternatives that could include a sale or breakup of the company.

The company previously said its crypto custody business could be wound down. This segment might not be included in the buyout, according to the report. Bakkt is planning to build a crypto trading platform geared to institutional investors.

DJT shares have experienced high volatility and an increased valuation after Trump won the 2024 election.

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Trump’s pro-crypto stance may have helped elevate Bitcoin BTC/USD and other cryptocurrencies to all-time highs following his 2024 election win.

An acquisition of Bakkt would push Trump’s media company and the president-elect deeper into the cryptocurrency sector, which comes after he promoted a crypto venture called World Liberty Financial with business partners.

BKKT, DJT Price Action: Bakkt stock was halted several times after the report and ended Monday’s session 163.04% higher at $29.71 versus a 52-week trading range of $5.57 to $68.75. Bakkt shares are down 44% year-to-date in 2024.

Trump Media & Technology stock is up 16.65% to $32.78 Monday versus a 52-week trading range of $22.55 to $79.38. Trump Media & Technology stock is up 85% year-to-date in 2024.

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Photo via Shutterstock.

Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

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Finance ministry pledges to address cryptocurrency taxation issue – Focus Taiwan

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Finance ministry pledges to address cryptocurrency taxation issue – Focus Taiwan

Taipei, Nov. 18 (CNA) Taiwan’s Ministry of Finance has pledged to review regulations on taxing cryptocurrency gains amid surges in the digital asset’s prices following the presidential election victory of Donald Trump, a crypto supporter, in early November.

Finance Minister Chuang Tsui-yun (莊翠雲) made the promise during a legislative hearing Monday after officials admitted to Kuomintang lawmaker Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆) that the agency has yet to effectively collect taxes from individuals profiting from cryptocurrency trades.

Lai said cryptocurrency is classified as a digital asset, and such assets, as defined in the Income Tax Act, should not be exempt from income taxes.

Wu Lien-ying (吳蓮英), director-general of the National Taxation Bureau of Taipei, defended her bureau’s existing policy, saying it collects business and corporate income taxes from the 26 cryptocurrency exchanges that have acquired anti-money laundering registration from the Financial Supervisory Commission.

She struggled, however, to provide clear details of how income taxes are being collected from investors trading on these platforms.

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Sung Hsiu-ling (宋秀玲), director-general of the Taxation Administration, agreed with Lai that cryptocurrency gains are categorized as digital assets, and investors are required to file income taxes accordingly.

But Lai responded: “Who will file taxes if there’s no auditing?”

Eventually, at Lai’s request, Chuang and Sung vowed to review related rules within three months to better enable the government to tax cryptocurrency gains.

Wu and Sung also mentioned that the Financial Supervisory Commission was drafting a new law related to taxing cryptocurrency, but did not offer any details.

The issue was raised in light of the crypto market’s activity following Trump’s victory.

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Trump has voiced support for virtual currencies and introduced a new cryptocurrency project with his three sons in late September called World Liberty Financial.

Bitcoin, the oldest and largest cryptocurrency, has surged nearly 33 percent as of Monday since Election Day on Nov. 5 to US$90,723, while dogecoin, a cryptocurrency backed by Trump supporter and Tesla founder Elon Musk, has more than doubled over the same period.

A crypto-friendly climate is expected under Trump’s second presidency.

Under current Taiwanese law, individual income tax follows the principle of territoriality, meaning that income tax is only levied on income generated within Taiwan.

If an individual earns income from non-regular trading of virtual assets within Taiwan, it is categorized as “income from property transactions” under Article 14 of the Income Tax Act, with property referring to different asset classes.

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The taxable income is calculated by subtracting the original acquisition cost and related expenses from the transaction price. This amount is then added to the individual’s total income and subject to taxation.

This territoriality principle, however, poses challenges for enforcing strict tax laws on cryptocurrency transactions, a legal professional familiar with cryptocurrency told CNA, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“As far as I know, the Finance Ministry can only monitor the currency flow of bank accounts used for transactions, similar to how it monitors stock trades,” the source said.

“Taxes can easily be evaded by disguising the transactions as overseas activity conducted in U.S. dollars.”

The expert also noted that for individuals trading virtual currencies on overseas exchanges, even large earnings can evade scrutiny as long as the recorded gains remain below the threshold for taxable overseas income.

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For 2024, the threshold is NT$7.5 million (US$230,372), an increase from NT$6.7 million in 2023.

“At this point, I can’t imagine how they’re going to amend these regulations,” the source said.

(By Alyx Chang and Chao Yen-hsiang)

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