Investing in Fintech

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Latham derivatives and FinTech partner Yvette Valdez explores regulatory issues impacting cryptocurrency derivatives on the Fintech Beat podcast.

By Yvette D. Valdez

New York partner Yvette Valdez, a member of Latham & Watkins’ FinTech Industry Group, recently discussed timely issues at the intersection of cryptoassets and derivatives law on a new episode of Fintech Beat.

Valdez spoke with host Chris Brummer about a number of regulatory issues impacting cryptocurrency derivatives, including:

  • Whether cryptocurrencies or stablecoins are inherently derivatives
  • The ramifications of being deemed a derivative
  • Cryptocurrency derivatives and tokenized derivatives
  • Considerations for token developers to better navigate the regulatory field
  • The potential pitfalls of the Simple Agreement for Future Tokens (SAFT) from a commodities regulatory point of view
  • The Automated Convertible Note, a free-to-use tool developed by Latham & Watkins in collaboration with ConsenSys and OpenLaw, which addresses future token sales in a manner compliant with US securities and commodities regulations

The FinTech sandbox would aim to foster innovation in the financial, credit, and insurance sectors.

By Antonio Coletti and Isabella Porchia

The Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance has launched a public consultation on a draft ministerial decree (Draft Decree) implementing the mandate received by the Italian legislature (Decreto Crescita) to set up a regulatory sandbox to test FinTech activities in the financial, credit, and insurance sectors and establish a FinTech Committee.

FinTech Sandbox

The Draft Decree proposes that activities eligible for the sandbox include regulated or non-regulated activities that (i) use technologies contributing to the innovation of banking, financial, and insurance products and services, (ii) require an exemption from the regulatory provisions or guidelines adopted by the supervisory authorities or a joint testing and assessment from the supervisory authorities, and (iii) bring added value at least in terms of (a) benefits for final users enhancing the quality of the services, competition, access conditions, availability, protection, and costs, (b) general efficiency of the financial system and market participants, or (c) less burdensome and more efficient compliance with the financial regulations.

Before submitting an application to the sandbox, entities may present and discuss informally the project with the FinTech Committee. The proposed testing period for any admitted project has a maximum duration of 18 months, which may be extended upon request of the applicant entity.

In two recent articles, Latham & Watkins lawyers examine the SEC’s guidance on the application of securities regulations to digital assets and the questions that remain unanswered.

By Stephen P. Wink, Witold Balaban, John J. Sikora, Miles P. Jennings, Emanuel V. Francone, Cameron R. Kates, and Shaun Musuka

Digital Asset Regulation: Howey Evolves

In this article, the authors provide a comprehensive look at the SEC’s evolving guidance that aims to clarify when sales of digital assets (also known as tokens) are securities transactions. The authors discuss the Commission’s early application of the Howey test to digital assets, its pronouncements and enforcement actions, and the response of commentators. They then turn to the SEC’s Framework, issued in 2019, and other current SEC actions. They close by addressing steps the SEC should take to provide market participants with greater clarity on the application of the securities laws to digital assets.

Call for input: Industry needs to engage as the FCA moves forward on its transformative vision for open finance.

By Stuart Davis and Brett Carr

Imagine a world in which you could access your bank accounts, credit cards, mortgage, pensions, savings accounts and ISAs, brokerage account, home and car insurance, life insurance, and other financial products on one user interface or app, even if each of those products is held with a different provider. Then, imagine that the app could provide innovative financial management services across all of those products, such as automated switching to the best products, holistic investment advice and budgeting, and sweeping of excess cash into products yielding a better return than today’s current accounts. This world may be closer than you think, and it will likely have profound impacts for incumbent and new financial services business.

The US derivatives regulator continues to foster FinTech adoption and leadership in US markets.

By Yvette D. Valdez, Douglas K. Yatter, and Deric Behar

The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has affirmed its commitment to engaging the fast-moving financial technology world by elevating its LabCFTC unit to be an independent operating office within the CFTC, reporting directly to Chairman Heath Tarbert. LabCFTC is the agency’s FinTech hub, led since October 10, 2019, by Chief Innovation Officer and Director Melissa Netram. The announcement about LabCFTC’s new status was made at the agency’s second annual FinTech conference, “Fintech Forward 2019: Exploring the Unwritten Future,” held on October 24, 2019.

LabCFTC initiatives such as the annual FinTech conference provide a way for FinTech innovators to access the CFTC, while also allowing the CFTC to keep apace of new technologies and ideas impacting the financial markets. The CFTC also uses the forum to evaluate the potential of new technology for agency oversight activities.

Latham FinTech partners discuss the evolving stablecoin landscape on the New Territories Podcast.

By Christian F. McDermott, Yvette D. Valdez, and Stephen P. Wink

New York partners Yvette Valdez and Stephen Wink and London partner Christian McDermott recently discussed the evolving stablecoin landscape on new episodes of The Brooklyn Project’s New Territories Podcast.

The partners, who are members of Latham & Watkins FinTech Industry Group, spoke with host Joyce Lai about a number of trends and regulatory issues impacting digital assets and blockchain technology, including:

  • Macro trends and geopolitical shifts
  • State-sponsored digital assets and payment systems
  • Status of digital assets under US securities laws
  • Stablecoin considerations (and complications) under US commodities laws
  • Decentralized finance
  • Global privacy considerations for potential issuers and other participants when designing and operating a stablecoin ecosystem

SFC outlines new regulatory framework for virtual asset trading platforms, HKMA highlights recent FinTech initiatives, and PBOC discusses China’s forthcoming central bank digital currency.

By Simon Hawkins and Kenneth Y.F. Hui

The fourth annual Hong Kong FinTech Week conference kicked off with a major announcement from Mr. Ashley Alder, Chief Executive Officer of the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), who introduced a new, formalized regulatory framework for virtual asset trading platforms (VATPs). A panel of central bankers also discussed stablecoins and central bank digital currencies, including the People’s Bank of China’s (PBoC) forthcoming central bank digital currency, referred to as the digital currency / electronic payment (DCEP) coin.

Latham & Watkins lawyers provide an in-depth look at the regulation of cryptoasset trading platforms in key jurisdictions.

By Todd Beauchamp, Nozomi Oda, Yvette D. Valdez, Stephen P. Wink, and Simon Hawkins

Cryptoasset trading is a fast-growing part of the financial sector. Some countries have wholeheartedly embraced cryptoassets; others have been more reticent to permit widespread adoption. Generally, countries either interpreted existing laws and regulations to apply to cryptoassets, adopted new laws or regulations to specifically…

Report highlights key strengths and regulatory innovations to inform stakeholders for trade and investment.

By Laura Holden and Nootan Vegad

The Department for International Trade, with the support of Innovate Finance, has published a report titled the “FinTech State of the Nation”. Providing an overview of the UK’s FinTech industry and highlighting the UK’s appeal as a FinTech destination for entrepreneurs and investors, the report seeks to demonstrate how the UK’s FinTech sector has emerged as a global leader and why this will continue in the future.

The report describes the actions that the government, regulators, and industry have taken to stimulate and sustain growth of the UK’s FinTech sector. The report includes an overview of technology demand, a regional analysis of FinTech, details of the investment environment, views from the FCA, a summary of the talent, skills, and diversity in the industry and the “Essential Eight” technology trends — which includes block chain, drones, and artificial intelligence to name a few.

Federal court allows NYSDFS lawsuit against OCC FinTech charter to proceed, raising further questions about the charter’s viability.

By Alan W. Avery, Todd Beauchamp, Loyal T. Horsley, Pia Naib, and Charles Weinstein

In a May 2 order, US District Court Judge Victor Marrero rejected the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s (OCC’s) recent motion to dismiss the New York State Department of Financial Services’ (NYSDFS’) new lawsuit challenging the OCC’s FinTech charter, and by doing so, may have put the charter in limbo for the foreseeable future.

Overview

As detailed in this previous commentary, the NYSDFS’ then-Superintendent Maria T. Vullo sued the OCC and then-Acting Comptroller Keith Norieka in response to the OCC’s 2016 White Paper — “Exploring Special Purpose National Bank Charters for Fintech Companies.” Superintendent Vullo and the NYSDFS alleged that granting the proposed charter was outside the scope of the OCC’s statutory authority and would be harmful to the US financial system. The suit, however, was dismissed, primarily on the grounds that it was premature given the OCC had not yet taken any official action on the chartering process (i.e., the OCC had only released the White Paper). Following the dismissal of the NYSDFS suit, as well as the dismissal of a similar suit brought by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, the OCC issued a policy statement in July 2018 announcing that it would begin accepting applications for special purpose national bank (SPNB) charters for non-depository FinTech companies. In the wake of this more formal movement on the FinTech charter, Superintendent Vullo again sued the OCC and the new Comptroller, Joseph Otting, in September 2018, seeking to block the OCC from taking further action to implement the chartering process. The OCC moved to dismiss the new NYSDFS suit, arguing that the claims were still premature because the OCC had not yet received — let alone approved — any FinTech charter applications.