Certain stablecoins aren't securities, SEC says in new guidance  

The Illinois Senate by a vote of 39 to 17 passed a regulatory bill aimed at curbing cryptocurrency fraud and protecting investors from deceptive practices, including rug pulls and misleading fee structures.On April 10, the chamber passed Senate Bill 1797 (SB1797), also known as the Digital Assets and Consumer Protection Act, which Senator Mark Walker introduced in February.The bill gives the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation authority to oversee digital asset business activity within the state.Under the legislation, any entity engaging in digital asset business with Illinois residents must be registered with the state’s financial regulator. The bill also requires crypto service providers to offer advance full disclosure of user fees and charges.Bill SB1797. Source: Ilga.gov“A person shall not engage in digital asset business activity, or hold itself out as being able to engage in digital asset business activity, with or on behalf of a resident unless the person is registered in this State by the Department under this Article […],” the bill states.Related: Trump family memecoins may trigger increased SEC scrutiny on cryptoWalker has previously highlighted the need to address crypto-related fraud in Illinois. In an April 4 X post, he stated:“The rise of digital assets has opened the door for financial opportunity, but also for bankruptcy, fraud and deceptive practices. We must set standards for those who have evolved in the crypto business to ensure they are credible, honest actors.”Illinois’ push for stronger oversight follows a wave of high-profile memecoin meltdowns and insider-led scams that have left retail investors with substantial losses.In March, New York introduced Bill A06515, aiming to establish criminal penalties to prevent cryptocurrency fraud and protect investors from rug pulls.Related: Trump’s tariff escalation exposes ‘deeper fractures’ in global financial systemMemecoin scams spark regulatory momentumOne of the most notorious recent cases was the collapse of the Libra token, a memecoin reportedly endorsed by Argentine President Javier Milei. In March, the project’s insiders allegedly withdrew over $107 million in liquidity, causing a 94% price crash and wiping out roughly $4 billion in market value.Libra token crash. Source: Kobeissi LetterInsider scams and “outright fraudulent activities” like rug pulls, which are “not only unethical but also clearly illegal, with case law to support enforcement,” should see more thorough regulatory attention, Anastasija Plotnikova, co-founder and CEO of blockchain regulatory firm Fideum, told Cointelegraph, adding:“In my view, these activities should fall firmly within the jurisdiction of law enforcement agencies.”The latest meltdown occurred on March 16, after Hayden Davis, the co-creator of the Official Melania Meme (MELANIA) and the Libra token, launched a Wolf of Wall Street-inspired token (WOLF).Source: BubblemapsOver 82% of the token’s supply was held by the same entity, which led to a 99% price crash after the token peaked at a $42 million market capitalization.Argentine lawyer Gregorio Dalbon has asked for an Interpol Red Notice to be issued for Davis, citing a “procedural risk” if Davis were to remain free as he could access vast amounts of money that would allow him to either flee the US or go into hiding.Magazine: Caitlyn Jenner memecoin ‘mastermind’s’ celebrity price list leaked

Crypto-critical US Senator Elizabeth Warren has led six Senate Democrats in urging the Department of Justice to reverse its decision to terminate its crypto investigations and prosecutions division.In an April 10 letter to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, the Senators said the decision to disband the department’s National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team was a “grave mistake” that would support “sanctions evasion, drug trafficking, scams, and child sexual exploitation.”Senators Richard Durbin, Mazie Hirono, Sheldon Whitehouse, Christopher Coons and Richard Blumenthal signed the letter in addition to Warren.On April 7, Blanche shuttered the DOJ’s crypto enforcement team, saying in a memo that “The Department of Justice is not a digital assets regulator.”The senators claim that the decision gave a “free pass to cryptocurrency money launderers” and claimed that crypto mixing services — used to obfuscate blockchain transactions — are “go-to tools for cybercriminals.” “It makes no sense for DOJ to announce a hands-off approach to tools that are being used to support such terrible crimes,” the letter said.An excerpt of Democrat’s letter to the DOJ. Source: US Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban AffairsThe senators also questioned why the Justice Department  had decided not to prosecute a “host of crimes involving digital assets, including violations of the Bank Secrecy Act.”They claimed that this creates a “systemic vulnerability in the digital assets sector,” which “drug traffickers, terrorists, fraudsters, and adversaries” will exploit on a large scale. The lawmakers requested a staff-level briefing no later than May 1, providing “detailed information on the rationale behind these decisions.” Targeting Trump family crypto endeavors The letter also took a swipe at the Trump family’s crypto projects, suggesting potential conflicts of interest.Related: SafeMoon boss cites DOJ’s nixed crypto unit in latest bid to toss suitA press release accompanying the letter stated that the senators are raising concerns about the “potential connections” between the DOJ’s actions and the crypto ventures of President Donald Trump and his family.The Trumps have an interest in and have backed the crypto platform World Liberty Financial along with its token. The platform is also planning to launch a stablecoin while President Trump’s sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., are working to launch a crypto-mining company called American Bitcoin.“Your decisions give rise to concerns that President Trump’s interest in selling his cryptocurrency may be the reason for easing law enforcement scrutiny,” the Democrats stated.  In a memo announcing the crypto enforcement team’s disbandment, Blanche accused the Biden administration of using the Justice Department to “pursue a reckless strategy of regulation by prosecution.”Magazine: Illegal arcade disguised as … a fake Bitcoin mine? Soldier scams in China: Asia Express

New York Attorney General Letitia James has sent a letter to US congressional leaders urging “common sense” federal crypto regulations and to keep digital assets out of US pensions.“I am urging Congress to pass legislation that would strengthen federal regulations on the cryptocurrency industry to protect investors, strengthen financial markets, and stop fraud,” James said in a 14-page letter shared on April 10, outlining six major risks if the sector remains unregulated.She said that without appropriate safeguards, the “unchecked proliferation of digital assets” undermines US dollar dominance, weakens national security due to criminal activity, and “undermines the stability of financial markets.” Unregulated crypto also subjects investors to “price manipulation and rigged markets,” facilitates fraud that “drains billions of dollars from hardworking Americans, and extracts assets and investments from the American economy,” she said. An excerpt of James’ letter to Congress. Source: Office of the New York State Attorney GeneralJames made a number of recommendations and pushed Congress for legislation that would require stablecoin issuers to have a US presence and regulatory oversight and mandate backing stablecoins with US dollars or treasuries. She also wants regulations that require platforms to work only with anti-money laundering-compliant entities, establish registration requirements for issuers and intermediaries, protect against conflicts of interest and promote price transparency and require fraud prevention measures.No crypto assets in pension funds The New York’s top lawyer also aired her concerns about including crypto in pension funds. “Digital assets are uniquely unsuitable for retirement savings due to their high volatility,” she said, claiming that they have no value.“The underlying value of cryptocurrency is unpredictable and not determined by true price discovery because they have no intrinsic value on which their prices are based.”James also urged against retirement funds investing in crypto-tracking exchange-traded funds, stating that “unlike traditional exchange-traded funds backed by stocks and bonds, cryptocurrency held to back cryptocurrency ETFs are at risk of permanent theft.” Related: US lawmaker will reintroduce crypto retirement bill to help Trump agenda“As Congress takes the mantle to propose legislation governing the cryptocurrency industry, we hope it also takes action to mitigate the risks posed by the industry to America’s national security, financial stability, and citizens,” James said. The call for regulation follows the US Department of Justice’s reported dismantling of its federal criminal cryptocurrency fraud enforcement division.Magazine: 3 reasons Ethereum could turn a corner: Kain Warwick, X Hall of Flame