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Bitcoin Government

Sen. Warren Announces Sanctions Compliance Bill For Crypto Companies (coindesk.com) 26

An anonymous reader quotes a report from CoinDesk: U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) announced Thursday a new bill to block cryptocurrency companies from conducting business with sanctioned companies. The Digital Assets Sanctions Compliance Enhancement Act, introduced with Sens. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and others, would allow the U.S. president to add non-U.S.-based crypto companies to sanctions list if they support sanctions evasion.

"This is a bill that would authorize the president to sanction foreign cryptocurrency firms that are doing business with sanctioned Russian entities and authorize the Secretary of Treasury to act," she said. According to a draft of the bill, the presidential administration would be tasked with identifying "any foreign person" who operates a crypto exchange or otherwise facilitates digital asset transactions who has also supported sanctions evasion by Russian individuals named to the Office of Foreign Asset Control's sanctions list. Moreover, the U.S. president could sanction these exchange operators unless there was a national security interest in not doing so. The U.S. Treasury secretary could also require that crypto exchanges operating in the U.S. not conduct transactions for, or otherwise work with, crypto addresses belonging to people based in Russia if this is deemed to be in the national interest. The Treasury secretary would have to report to Congress about this decision.

The bill seems to extend beyond just Russian sanctions. Another provision would authorize the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) to identify users transacting with more than $10,000 in crypto. "Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network shall require United States persons engaged in a transaction with a value greater than $10,000 in digital assets through [one] or more accounts outside of the United States to file a report," the bill said. The Treasury secretary would also be tasked with identifying exchanges that could be at "high risk for sanctions evasion" or other crimes, and reporting these entities to Congress. "Any exchange included in the report may petition the Office of Foreign Assets Control for removal, which shall be granted upon demonstrating that the exchange is taking steps sufficient to comply with applicable United States law," the bill said.

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Sen. Warren Announces Sanctions Compliance Bill For Crypto Companies

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  • If this bill passes, it will likely cause a dip in the market. That's when you buy and HODL, because before you know it the gray clouds will pass and next stop - the moon!

    (and for everyone not all-in on this energy sucking Ponzi-fest, that's why the good lord gave us michael_jackson_popcorn.gif)

  • by Reiyuki ( 5800436 ) on Friday March 18, 2022 @08:46PM (#62370619)
    Just wait until they realize the same laws can be used to suppress political dissidents as well. "But I never thought it'd be used against MEEE!"
    • You know someone that refers to a Senator in the US Congress as having 'limitless power' is completely off their rocker.

      How can a law used to sanction cryto companies be used to suppress political dissidents, you ask? It can't really, unless you're a sanctioned body (that is, the government of the US has already decided via congressional action that you're untrustworthy) that wants to influence an election by using crypto to donate to your PAC of choice.

      Utter nonsense.

      • by Reiyuki ( 5800436 ) on Friday March 18, 2022 @09:42PM (#62370717)

        How can a law used to sanction cryto companies be used to suppress political dissidents, you ask?

        Most recent example was not too long ago: https://www.protocol.com/newsl... [protocol.com]

        • Some people don't understand the tenuous nature of their access to technology. When bitcoin started everyone raved about it being so anonymous. No one listened when I pointed out that anything permanently recorded is _permanently recorded_.

          With a well-crafted algorithm and cycles, you can be found. Or at the very least, lose everything when the wallet is seized.

          Cash, gems, and metals are always king. It's hard to bribe your way through a border with bitcoin...

    • Just wait until they realize the same laws can be used to suppress political dissidents as well. "But I never thought it'd be used against MEEE!"

      The same thing happened with the HCUA. It was created in the 1930s by the left to suppress the right. Then in the 1950s, it was weaponized by the right, including Joe McCarthy, to persecute the left.

      Never support any law you would not want your opponents to use against you. Because they will.

      • Never support any law you would not want your opponents to use against you. Because they will.

        Indeed. Totalitarianism always starts with noble ambitions.

  • True story. I was accidentally signed up for her making list because of an auto fill thing when a friend signed up. There was no confirmation. The cancelation page has many inched of verbiage before before the camel button. If a corporation did this she would pass a law against them. She has no idea of best practices or outside the privilege she was raised in
  • is crypto exchanges in the rest of the world gut laughing.
    What size shotgun does Senator Warren have to make foreign held exchanges comply with such an order?

    • What size shotgun does Senator Warren have to make foreign held exchanges comply with such an order?

      You may not have noticed, but the USA is a linchpin of international trade, and has the world's biggest military by far. Pretty sure the stick is well in hand.

      • There is a whole financial revolution going on worldwide outside of the USA's control. Assuming the powers that be are prepared to attack for crypto, the military can invade at most a handful of countries.

        They'll be fine.

  • I'm in favor of Russian sanctions, but I'm a bit worried of the implementation details here. Say someone in Russia owned the coins X owners before you did... does that mean you can no longer use them? What's a fair value of X? How can X even be fairly determined given crypto doesn't have accounts but addresses?
    • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

      by blahabl ( 7651114 )

      I'm in favor of Russian sanctions, but I'm a bit worried of the implementation details here. Say someone in Russia owned the coins X owners before you did... does that mean you can no longer use them? What's a fair value of X? How can X even be fairly determined given crypto doesn't have accounts but addresses?

      Expect this to be interpreted in widest possible way. Because we all know that for those fascists Russian sanctions are just a pretext, and the real goal is to strike at crypto, the last obstacle on their way to the cashless Brave New World when government can just cancel your finances with a single mouse click if you dare to not be a good sheeple.

  • The bill seems to extend beyond just Russian sanctions. Another provision would authorize the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) to identify users transacting with more than $10,000 in crypto.

    The Treasury secretary would also be tasked with identifying exchanges that could be at "high risk for sanctions evasion" or other crimes, and reporting these entities to Congress.

    Aaaand there it is.

  • peanut amount of money these days due to Bidenflation, and will cover essentially all of your transactions.

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