The Proposed Guidance would require enhanced criteria for coin-listing and delisting procedures for New York-licensed virtual currency entities.

By Jenny Cieplak, Arthur S. Long, Yvette D. Valdez, Stephen P. Wink, Ian Irlander, and Deric Behar

On September 18, 2023, the New York Department of Financial Services (DFS) issued Proposed Updates to Guidance Regarding Listing of Virtual Currencies (the Proposed Guidance) pursuant to its ongoing VOLT initiative to strengthen the oversight of virtual currencies.

The Proposed Guidance updates DFS’s general framework for the creation of firm-specific policies by virtual currency entities^[1] (VCEs) with respect to the adoption, listing or delisting of a virtual currency. It provides for a self-certification process for listing coins provided such VCE has a DFS-approved coin-listing policy. Notably, VCEs that do not have an approved coin-listing policy may only list coins that are included in the DFS virtual currency “Greenlist” or that are individually approved by DFS for listing by such VCE as part of an application for a material change to business under NYCRR 200.10. However, DFS may at any time and in its sole discretion require VCEs to delist or limit New Yorkers’ access to specific coins.

DFS’s stated goals under the policy include consumer protection as well as safety and soundness of VCEs.