DeFi
AML/KYC for Crypto-Asset Service Providers
Anti-money laundering and know-your-customer requirements that apply to crypto exchanges, custodians, and other virtual asset service providers under FATF standards and national law.
CARF (Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework)
The OECD's international standard for automatic exchange of tax information on crypto asset transactions, designed to close the offshore tax evasion gap created by crypto's pseudonymous architecture.
Consumer Protection in Tokenized Markets: From Disclosure to Custody to Redress
Tokenized assets require adapted consumer protection frameworks — disclosure rules designed for prospectuses don't fit token whitepapers, custody protections designed for brokerages don't fit self-custody, and redress mechanisms designed for regulated entities don't fit DeFi protocols.
Crypto Tax Reporting
Comparative analysis of crypto tax reporting obligations across major jurisdictions, including the US 1099-DA form, EU DAC8, India's 30% flat tax, and the OECD's CARF cross-border reporting framework.
FATF (Financial Action Task Force)
FATF's role as global AML/CFT standard-setter, the 2019 VASP definition, the Travel Rule for crypto, grey-listing consequences, and the challenge of applying FATF standards to DeFi.
FINMA's Crypto Guidance: Principles Over Prescription in Swiss Financial Regulation
Switzerland's financial regulator FINMA built its crypto framework through guidance documents rather than prescriptive rules — a principles-based approach that enabled Crypto Valley while maintaining regulatory integrity.
IOSCO (International Organization of Securities Commissions)
IOSCO's 2023 crypto and DeFi policy recommendations, coordination with FSB and FATF, and how IOSCO guidance translates into national securities regulator action.
Regulatory Arbitrage
The practice of exploiting differences between regulatory frameworks across jurisdictions to reduce compliance obligations while continuing to serve clients in stricter markets.
Sanctions Screening for Crypto
The obligation of crypto exchanges and other VASPs to screen transactions and counterparties against sanctions lists, including the landmark Tornado Cash litigation that tested whether smart contracts can be sanctioned.
The Next Five Years of Tokenization Policy: What to Watch
Forward-looking analysis to 2031 — the CLARITY Act, digital euro launch, CARF adoption, DeFi regulation, AI+crypto dual compliance, BRICS Unit, and the four scenarios for how global crypto regulation resolves.
VARA (Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority — Dubai)
VARA's establishment under Dubai Law No. 4 of 2022, its seven licence categories, the world-first DeFi regulatory track, and major licensees including Bybit and Binance.