1. Home
  2. terrorism financing

terrorism financing

Singapore probes illegal Worldcoin accounts and token sales

Singapore is investigating unauthorized Worldcoin account sales as regulators raise concerns over data misuse and criminal activity.

Worldcoin, the controversial cryptocurrency project known for capturing identity data, is under investigation in Singapore for potential involvement in money laundering and financing terrorism.

On Sept. 9, Gan Kim Yong, the deputy prime minister of Singapore and chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), revealed an ongoing investigation into a group of individuals offering third-party sales and purchases of Worldcoin accounts and tokens.

During a parliamentary discussion, Yong said that seven individuals were under police investigation for offering Worldcoin-related services without licenses, which is considered an offense under the Payment Services Act 2019:

Read more

South Korea sanctions 15 North Koreans for crypto heists and cyber theft

Nigeria urged to adopt crypto regulations inspired by Europe

Nigerian data and policy analyst Obinna Uzoije noted that a unified regulatory framework for all ECOWAS member states would offer potential crypto investors much-needed clarity.

Nigeria’s crypto community has praised Europe’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) stablecoin rules as a positive development, saying it is important for jurisdictions to prioritize their interests regarding crypto projects, thereby protecting their local currencies.

In an interview with Cointelegraph, Nigerian data and policy analyst Obinna Uzoije shared his thoughts on what the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) can learn from Europe’s MiCA. He highlighted the numerous advantages that ECOWAS’s regulatory framework regarding cryptocurrency would bring to its member states.

Uzoije pointed out that stablecoins are currently the most prominent use case for crypto assets. According to him, Africa, in particular, has more transactions using stablecoin than any other type of digital asset.

Read more

South Korea sanctions 15 North Koreans for crypto heists and cyber theft

Binance exec denied bail in Nigeria money laundering trial

Head prosecutor Ekele Iheanacho objected to bail by highlighting Gambaryan’s questionable attempt to get a new passport, allegedly due to a stolen previous one.

Tigran Gambaryan, a Binance executive detained in Nigeria since February, has reportedly been denied bail by a Nigerian court in a money laundering trial.

According to a local media report, Judge Emeka Nwite denied the bail application, stating that he believed Gambaryan posed a flight risk and would likely flee if released on bail.

Gambaryan, Binance Holdings and another senior executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla — who is currently at large — face charges from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) related to money laundering and the financing of terrorism.

Read more

South Korea sanctions 15 North Koreans for crypto heists and cyber theft

TRM Labs Report: Tether’s USDT Was the Go-to Stablecoin for Illicit Activities in 2023

TRM Labs Report: Tether’s USDT Was the Go-to Stablecoin for Illicit Activities in 2023A report issued by TRM Labs indicated that Tether’s USDT, the largest stablecoin in the cryptocurrency industry, was the preferred stablecoin used for illicit transactions during 2023. TRM Labs alleges that 1.6% of USDT’s volume was linked to illicit activity last year, with $19.3 billion worth of USDT used in illegal transactional flows. TRM Labs […]

South Korea sanctions 15 North Koreans for crypto heists and cyber theft

Moody’s Says Forex Shortages May Force Nigerian Central Bank to Delay Repaying Local Banks

Moody’s Says Forex Shortages May Force Nigerian Central Bank to Delay Repaying Local BanksThe persistent scarcity of foreign exchange may force the Nigerian central bank to delay repaying the $10.4 billion owed to local banks, analysts at Moody’s Investors Service have concluded. The central bank’s failure to pay its debts on time will likely force the affected financial institutions to similarly delay paying back their own forex-denominated debts. […]

South Korea sanctions 15 North Koreans for crypto heists and cyber theft

Australian Government Says It Is Working to Ensure ‘Regulation of Crypto Assets Protects Consumers’

Australian Government Says It Is Working to Ensure ‘Regulation of Crypto Assets Protects Consumers’The Australian government has said it will take steps to ensure the “regulation of crypto assets protects consumers” and one of these steps will be the reforming of “the licensing and custody of crypto assets.” The Anthony Norman Albanese-led government also said it has released a consultation paper that explores “which elements of the crypto […]

South Korea sanctions 15 North Koreans for crypto heists and cyber theft

Argentina to Revamp Anti Money Laundering Law, Proposes Creation of VASP Registry

Argentina to Revamp Anti Money Laundering Law, Proposes Creation of VASP RegistryArgentina is preparing to revamp its anti-money laundering and terrorism financing law. It has proposed to include the creation of a registry for virtual asset services providers (VASPs) in the country as part of the new modifications. The changes would prepare the country for the review that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is slated […]

South Korea sanctions 15 North Koreans for crypto heists and cyber theft

Report: Israel Defense Ministry Seized Crypto Wallets Holding Hamas-Destined Funds

Report: Israel Defense Ministry Seized Crypto Wallets Holding Hamas-Destined FundsIsrael’s Defense Ministry seized cryptocurrency wallets holding funds that were destined for Hamas, a report has said. The wallets belonged to businesses that are associated with Al’matchadun currency exchange, which itself is accused of helping to funnel funds to Hamas. Seizure Order Israel’s Defense Ministry recently seized cryptocurrency wallets belonging to businesses that are associated […]

South Korea sanctions 15 North Koreans for crypto heists and cyber theft

Crypto Users and Exchanges Must Now Report Transactions in Colombia

Crypto Users and Exchanges Must Now Report Transactions in ColombiaThe Colombian government has issued new regulations that force exchanges and individuals to report cryptocurrency transactions to the UIAF, the anti-money laundering watchdog in Colombia. The transactions must be reported via an online reporting system, and exchanges will be required to issue periodic reports of suspicious transactions made by users. Colombia Tightens AML Controls New […]

South Korea sanctions 15 North Koreans for crypto heists and cyber theft

Bank of Spain Criticizes El Salvador’s Foray Into Bitcoin

Bank of Spain Criticizes El Salvador’s Foray Into BitcoinThe Bank of Spain, the central bank of the country, criticized the adoption process El Salvador chose when declaring Bitcoin legal tender last month. In a report titled “The role of crypto assets as legal tender: the example of El Salvador,” the bank examines several pain points the country encountered while applying its bitcoin strategy, […]

South Korea sanctions 15 North Koreans for crypto heists and cyber theft