Veronica Irwin, Unchained Crypto Journalist Profile

Articles

Why Some Crypto Traders Want Congress to Slow Down on a Market Structure Bill

6 days ago | unchainedcrypto.com | Veronica Irwin

Some crypto traders and investors are meeting with regulators in the hopes that they can convince the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to clarify its views on crypto regulation before Congress is able to pass a market structure bill, according to three sources familiar with arguments between crypto industry players.
DOJ to Reassess How Victims of Crypto Crime Are Compensated

1 week ago | unchainedcrypto.com | Veronica Irwin

In a memo released last Monday, the DOJ said that it would reconsider the process by which investors in digital assets that become forfeited in fraud and theft cases are repaid to investors at a lower price than the current spot value. In the memo, the DOJ acknowledges the notable 2022 bankruptcy cases of FTX, Voyager Digital, Celsius Network, Genesis Global, BlockFi, and Gemini Trust. Not all of these bankruptcies included criminal charges.
The Solana Policy Institute Follows Ripple’s Lead to Promote Its Own Blockchain

1 week ago | unchainedcrypto.com | Veronica Irwin

Under the Biden administration, Gary Gensler, the former chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), was crypto’s great unifier. Seen by the industry as an overzealous regulator, he encouraged American crypto firms to band together in a shared strategy: fight his agency’s enforcement actions in court, and lobby for the passage of bills that would restrain him from doing more damage.
Solana Policy Institute Hires One of DC’s Most Powerful Lobbyists

2 weeks ago | unchainedcrypto.com | Veronica Irwin

The Solana Policy Institute, a newly established lobbying group focused on advocating for the Solana ecosystem in Washington, has hired D.C. lobbyist Colin McLaren to be its engagement director. In this role McLaren will lead the group’s efforts to develop relationships in Washington with top lawmakers and regulators. McLaren was previously the engagement director for the “dark money” group Cedar Innovation Foundation.
Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Crashes on Tariff Announcement

2 weeks ago | unchainedcrypto.com | Veronica Irwin

The value of the government’s bitcoin holdings has fallen 13% since President Trump ordered the creation of a Strategic Bitcoin reserve last month, largely due to the economic impacts of a rapidly escalating trade war. Trump threatened to issue another 50% in tariffs on China Monday, after levying a baseline 10% tariff on all U.S. imports Saturday and announcing higher tariffs on several countries set to go into effect Wednesday.
White House’s Rumored Anti-Choke Point 2.0 Executive Order Is on Pause

2 weeks ago | unchainedcrypto.com | Veronica Irwin

Aside from setting up a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, one of the Trump administration’s key priorities has been clearing the way for crypto firms to get access to bank accounts in the U.S. In just the last few weeks, banking regulators such as the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), each of which were in the industry’s crosshairs because of alleged discrimination against them, have reversed course.
House Financial Services Committee Debates Stablecoin Bailout

3 weeks ago | unchainedcrypto.com | Veronica Irwin

Members of the House Financial Services Committee feuded over whether or not to add an amendment banning Congress from bailing out stablecoin issuers should they become insolvent to the STABLE Act, a proposed piece of legislation to regulate the $240 billion stablecoin market, in a markup session on Wednesday. None of the three amendments raised by Democratic representatives Brad Sherman, Bill Foster, and Stephen Lynch were approved.
SEC Chair Nominee Atkins 'Concerned' About Role of SBF’s Parents in FTX Crisis

4 weeks ago | unchainedcrypto.com | Veronica Irwin

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman nominee Paul Atkins said that he was “concerned” about public reports that former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried’s parents and Stanford University profited from the fraudulent crypto exchange, in response to questions at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee Thursday.
Could Coinbase Slow Crypto’s Legislative Success?

1 month ago | unchainedcrypto.com | Veronica Irwin

Lobbyists and executives for leading cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase are pushing Congress to pass stablecoin legislation simultaneously with a yet-to-be drafted bill on the overarching regulatory structure for most other cryptocurrency assets, according to six sources familiar with the discussions.
OCC Continues Unraveling Operation Choke Point 2.0

1 month ago | unchainedcrypto.com | Veronica Irwin

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) said in a press release late Thursday that it will no longer examine banks for “reputational risk.” This term is used to describe what the banking regulator saw as a past practice of judging banks based on the public perception of the companies and industries they service. Many crypto firms felt that the regulator was discriminating against them because of the controversial nature of their industry.