Regulatory Treatment of Initial Coin Offerings 1 Background FINMA recognises the innovative potential of distributed ledger/blockchain technology. It welcomes and supports all efforts to develop and implement blockchain solutions in the Swiss financial centre. Recently there has been a marked increase in initial coin offerings (ICOs), either conducted in or offered from Switzerland. ICOs are...Read More

Stop facilitating tax evasion or face criminal prosecution, HMRC tells corporations Corporations could be prosecuted if they fail to prevent staff from criminally facilitating tax evasion under a new HMRC law that comes into effect this weekend. It is already a crime to evade tax, or deliberately help another person to do so, but on behalf...Read More

FINMA is investigating ICO procedures The Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA has observed a marked increase in initial coin offerings (ICOs) conducted in Switzerland. It has today therefore issued FINMA Guidance 04/2017 on this topic. FINMA has also indicated that it is investigating a number of ICO cases to determine whether regulatory provisions have been...Read More

State of the Union 2017: The Commission scales up its response to cyber-attacks   Questions and answers Why does the EU need to take action on cybersecurity?  Since 2013, the technological and security landscape in the European Union has changed at a very fast pace. Digital technologies are now an integral part of our daily...Read More

Government to strengthen UK data protection law People to have more control over their personal data and be better protected in the digital age under new measures announced by Digital Minister Matt Hancock. Public to have greater control over personal data – including right to be forgotten New right to require social media platforms to delete...Read More