• The Digital Asset Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2022 is a bill that contains many threatening aspects, such as KYC laws for self-custody wallets and money-transmitter licensing requirements.
• The European Central Bank recently revealed that Bitcoin is on an “artificially induced last gasp before the road to irrelevance” and is considering a Bitcoin and crypto ban in order to mitigate environmental damage.
• The Senate Banking Committee hearing is an indication of the “then they fight you stage” of crypto adoption and regulations could be a significant speed bump to widespread adoption.
Cryptocurrencies have been gaining traction in the global financial market since the introduction of Bitcoin in 2009. With its decentralized, secure and anonymous nature, it has become an attractive option for people to store their wealth, send money to other people or make payments for goods and services. However, with this growth in popularity, governments and financial institutions have started to take notice and are now introducing various regulations to control or even restrict the use of cryptocurrencies.
One of the latest developments is the Digital Asset Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2022, which was recently introduced in the US Senate. This bill contains many threatening aspects, such as KYC (Know Your Customer) laws for self-custody wallets and money-transmitter licensing requirements. Essentially, this would require people to provide information about the source of their funds and would also restrict the anonymity of transactions.
The European Central Bank (ECB) has also weighed in on the issue, recently revealing that Bitcoin is on an “artificially induced last gasp before the road to irrelevance”. Moreover, an official from the bank announced that it was considering a Bitcoin and crypto ban in order to mitigate environmental damage. However, with the energy crisis in Europe deepening, some would argue that European regulators have bigger fish to fry, such as Germany’s rising use of coal power.
The recent Senate Banking Committee hearing is a testament to the increasing scrutiny that cryptocurrencies are receiving. It appears to be the beginning of the “then they fight you stage” of crypto adoption and any regulations that are implemented could be a significant speed bump to widespread adoption. Furthermore, it is possible that governments could even go as far as to impose a ban on the use of cryptocurrencies.
All in all, it is important for those involved in the crypto space to stay vigilant and aware of the current developments and potential regulations that could be implemented. Although a ban or some of the regulations may be difficult to enforce, they could still have a significant impact on the adoption of cryptocurrencies. Therefore, it would be wise to pay close attention to Bitcoin Twitter and other sources of information in order to stay abreast of the situation and be ready to make calls to your governmentally-elected representatives if necessary.