In his Blockchain Law column, Robert Schwinger explains how, when it comes to virtual currencies, digital tokens and other blockchain assets, our legal and political systems are still in the earliest stages of grappling with which regulations and structures would be best suited for encouraging financial technology innovation on the one hand, while providing certainty and serving the public interest on the other.
While courts last year recognized that under existing law virtual currencies based on blockchain platforms could qualify as “securities,” see United States v. Zaslavskiy, No. 17 CR 647, 2018 WL 4346339 (E.D.N.Y. Sept. 11, 2018), and/or “commodities,” see CFTC v. McDonnell, 287 F. Supp. 3d 213 (E.D.N.Y. 2018), concern has been growing that these regulatory structures may not be ideal for regulating all digital tokens in all situations. Lawmakers across the country are thus now exploring possible revisions to existing laws and regulations to deal more appropriately with this new asset class.
On July 16, 2020, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) published its decision in the landmark case Data Protection Commissioner v Facebook Ireland Ltd, Maximilian Schrems and intervening parties, Case C-311/18 (known as the Schrems II case).
On July 7, 2020, the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF) issued an FAQ document on Circular 02/77 concerning the protection of investors in case of NAV calculation errors and the correction of the consequences resulting from non-compliance with the investment rules applicable to undertakings for collective investment (the FAQ).
The COVID-19 outbreak has posed an unprecedented challenge – not just for individuals and governments, but also corporates seeking to navigate unchartered waters in the widespread disruption caused by the global pandemic.
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