French Finance Minister: "Total and Determined Support" to Cryptocurrency
- French and American lawmakers have made positive comments about cryptocurrency this week.

France
The meeting was between Le Maire and French entrepreneurs, according to bitcoin.fr, and at it Le Maire expressed his "total and determined support" to the new industry.
Nous ne raterons pas la révolution de la #blockchain !#Cryptoactifs, #bitcoin, #ICO, #fintech ... La France veut être force de proposition pour construire le monde de demain ! ??? Ma tribune sur @Numerama?#G20Argentina https://t.co/uOG3th2Pry
— Bruno Le Maire (@BrunoLeMaire) March 19, 2018
Regarding specifics, he favours taxation based on a "single lump sum", although he didn't rule out exempting exchanges from taxation, and he believes that ICO evaluation needs to be professionalised.
Le Maire had made negative comments about cryptocurrency in the past. Back in January, he hired a former Bank of France executive to lead a group to study cryptocurrency, saying :"We want a stable economy: we reject the risks of speculation and the possible financial diversions linked to bitcoin."
At the G20 meeting in March, France and Germany together called on countries to jointly regulate Bitcoin
US
At a New York event organised by Coindesk called Consensus 2018, US lawmakers said that their aim is not to suppress the industry, according to the related coverage by Coindesk.
Consensus 2018 is the media outlet's fourth annual blockchain summit. It was held at the Hilton in New York this week.
Speaking at the event were James McDonald, enforcement director of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Robert Cohen, head of the Securities and Exchange Commission's Enforcement Division Cyber Unit, Sujit Raman, Associate Deputy Attorney General US Department of Justice, and Kiran Raj, chief strategy officer of cryptocurrency exchange Bittrex.
The following comments were reported by reporter Nikhilesh De. It should be noted that the government representatives all said that their views do not necessarily represent those of the agencies for which they work.
McDonald said: "Our mission is to foster financially sound markets, and we understand as a regulator that requires a certain amount of [flexibility] in our approach. We're doing it in a way that doesn't hinder innovation and doesn't interfere with other regulatory priorities."
This is a different tack to his comments in January of this year, when he affirmed the commitment of his agency to prosecute those that used Cryptocurrencies Cryptocurrencies By using cryptography, virtual currencies, known as cryptocurrencies, are nearly counterfeit-proof digital currencies that are built on blockchain technology. Comprised of decentralized networks, blockchain technology is not overseen by a central authority.Therefore, cryptocurrencies function in a decentralized nature which theoretically makes them immune to government interference. The term, cryptocurrency derives from the origin of the encryption techniques that are employed to secure the networks which are used to authenticate blockchain technology. Cryptocurrencies can be thought of as systems that accept online payments which are denoted as “tokens.” Tokens are represented as internal ledger entries in blockchain technology while the term crypto is used to depict cryptographic methods and encryption algorithms such as public-private key pairs, various hashing functions, and an elliptical curve. Every cryptocurrency transaction that occurs is logged in a web-based ledger with blockchain technology.These then must be approved by a disparate network of individual nodes (computers that maintain a copy of the ledger). For every new block generated, the block must first be authenticated and confirmed ‘approved’ by each node, which makes forging the transactional history of cryptocurrencies nearly impossible. The World’s First CryptoBitcoin became the first blockchain-based cryptocurrency and to this day is still the most demanded cryptocurrency and the most valued. Bitcoin still contributes the majority of the overall cryptocurrency market volume, though several other cryptos have grown in popularity in recent years.Indeed, out of the wake of Bitcoin, iterations of Bitcoin became prevalent which resulted in a multitude of newly created or cloned cryptocurrencies. Contending cryptocurrencies that emerged after Bitcoin’s success is referred to as ‘altcoins’ and they refer to cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Peercoin, Namecoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Stellar, and Dash. Cryptocurrencies promise a wide range of technological innovations that have yet to be structured into being. Simplified payments between two parties without the need for a middle man is one aspect while leveraging blockchain technology to minimize transaction and processing fees for banks is another. Of course, cryptocurrencies have their disadvantages too. This includes issues of tax evasion, money laundering, and other illicit online activities where anonymity is a dire ingredient in solicitous and fraudulent activities. By using cryptography, virtual currencies, known as cryptocurrencies, are nearly counterfeit-proof digital currencies that are built on blockchain technology. Comprised of decentralized networks, blockchain technology is not overseen by a central authority.Therefore, cryptocurrencies function in a decentralized nature which theoretically makes them immune to government interference. The term, cryptocurrency derives from the origin of the encryption techniques that are employed to secure the networks which are used to authenticate blockchain technology. Cryptocurrencies can be thought of as systems that accept online payments which are denoted as “tokens.” Tokens are represented as internal ledger entries in blockchain technology while the term crypto is used to depict cryptographic methods and encryption algorithms such as public-private key pairs, various hashing functions, and an elliptical curve. Every cryptocurrency transaction that occurs is logged in a web-based ledger with blockchain technology.These then must be approved by a disparate network of individual nodes (computers that maintain a copy of the ledger). For every new block generated, the block must first be authenticated and confirmed ‘approved’ by each node, which makes forging the transactional history of cryptocurrencies nearly impossible. The World’s First CryptoBitcoin became the first blockchain-based cryptocurrency and to this day is still the most demanded cryptocurrency and the most valued. Bitcoin still contributes the majority of the overall cryptocurrency market volume, though several other cryptos have grown in popularity in recent years.Indeed, out of the wake of Bitcoin, iterations of Bitcoin became prevalent which resulted in a multitude of newly created or cloned cryptocurrencies. Contending cryptocurrencies that emerged after Bitcoin’s success is referred to as ‘altcoins’ and they refer to cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Peercoin, Namecoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Stellar, and Dash. Cryptocurrencies promise a wide range of technological innovations that have yet to be structured into being. Simplified payments between two parties without the need for a middle man is one aspect while leveraging blockchain technology to minimize transaction and processing fees for banks is another. Of course, cryptocurrencies have their disadvantages too. This includes issues of tax evasion, money laundering, and other illicit online activities where anonymity is a dire ingredient in solicitous and fraudulent activities. Read this Term to engage in fraud.
Cohen said: "The SEC has been open about meeting with people from the industry, to come in and meet with the staff, to talk about the ideas you have, the new developments, and have a dialogue about the new technology. The commission encourages ways to raise capital, we don't regulate the technology - we regulate the financial industry and the markets."
We last reported on Robert Cohen last month, when the SEC busted Centra Tech for its fraudulent ICO.
Raman said: "The number one priority for the Department of Justice is to keep people safe. One concern we have for the larger virtual currency space is large sums of money are flowing through the market without touching financial institutions ... From a national security perspective or an anti-money laundering perspective, that's something ... we have to investigate. As with anything else, it's a balance but it's certainly one of our priorities, to know what's going on."
France
The meeting was between Le Maire and French entrepreneurs, according to bitcoin.fr, and at it Le Maire expressed his "total and determined support" to the new industry.
Nous ne raterons pas la révolution de la #blockchain !#Cryptoactifs, #bitcoin, #ICO, #fintech ... La France veut être force de proposition pour construire le monde de demain ! ??? Ma tribune sur @Numerama?#G20Argentina https://t.co/uOG3th2Pry
— Bruno Le Maire (@BrunoLeMaire) March 19, 2018
Regarding specifics, he favours taxation based on a "single lump sum", although he didn't rule out exempting exchanges from taxation, and he believes that ICO evaluation needs to be professionalised.
Le Maire had made negative comments about cryptocurrency in the past. Back in January, he hired a former Bank of France executive to lead a group to study cryptocurrency, saying :"We want a stable economy: we reject the risks of speculation and the possible financial diversions linked to bitcoin."
At the G20 meeting in March, France and Germany together called on countries to jointly regulate Bitcoin
US
At a New York event organised by Coindesk called Consensus 2018, US lawmakers said that their aim is not to suppress the industry, according to the related coverage by Coindesk.
Consensus 2018 is the media outlet's fourth annual blockchain summit. It was held at the Hilton in New York this week.
Speaking at the event were James McDonald, enforcement director of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Robert Cohen, head of the Securities and Exchange Commission's Enforcement Division Cyber Unit, Sujit Raman, Associate Deputy Attorney General US Department of Justice, and Kiran Raj, chief strategy officer of cryptocurrency exchange Bittrex.
The following comments were reported by reporter Nikhilesh De. It should be noted that the government representatives all said that their views do not necessarily represent those of the agencies for which they work.
McDonald said: "Our mission is to foster financially sound markets, and we understand as a regulator that requires a certain amount of [flexibility] in our approach. We're doing it in a way that doesn't hinder innovation and doesn't interfere with other regulatory priorities."
This is a different tack to his comments in January of this year, when he affirmed the commitment of his agency to prosecute those that used Cryptocurrencies Cryptocurrencies By using cryptography, virtual currencies, known as cryptocurrencies, are nearly counterfeit-proof digital currencies that are built on blockchain technology. Comprised of decentralized networks, blockchain technology is not overseen by a central authority.Therefore, cryptocurrencies function in a decentralized nature which theoretically makes them immune to government interference. The term, cryptocurrency derives from the origin of the encryption techniques that are employed to secure the networks which are used to authenticate blockchain technology. Cryptocurrencies can be thought of as systems that accept online payments which are denoted as “tokens.” Tokens are represented as internal ledger entries in blockchain technology while the term crypto is used to depict cryptographic methods and encryption algorithms such as public-private key pairs, various hashing functions, and an elliptical curve. Every cryptocurrency transaction that occurs is logged in a web-based ledger with blockchain technology.These then must be approved by a disparate network of individual nodes (computers that maintain a copy of the ledger). For every new block generated, the block must first be authenticated and confirmed ‘approved’ by each node, which makes forging the transactional history of cryptocurrencies nearly impossible. The World’s First CryptoBitcoin became the first blockchain-based cryptocurrency and to this day is still the most demanded cryptocurrency and the most valued. Bitcoin still contributes the majority of the overall cryptocurrency market volume, though several other cryptos have grown in popularity in recent years.Indeed, out of the wake of Bitcoin, iterations of Bitcoin became prevalent which resulted in a multitude of newly created or cloned cryptocurrencies. Contending cryptocurrencies that emerged after Bitcoin’s success is referred to as ‘altcoins’ and they refer to cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Peercoin, Namecoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Stellar, and Dash. Cryptocurrencies promise a wide range of technological innovations that have yet to be structured into being. Simplified payments between two parties without the need for a middle man is one aspect while leveraging blockchain technology to minimize transaction and processing fees for banks is another. Of course, cryptocurrencies have their disadvantages too. This includes issues of tax evasion, money laundering, and other illicit online activities where anonymity is a dire ingredient in solicitous and fraudulent activities. By using cryptography, virtual currencies, known as cryptocurrencies, are nearly counterfeit-proof digital currencies that are built on blockchain technology. Comprised of decentralized networks, blockchain technology is not overseen by a central authority.Therefore, cryptocurrencies function in a decentralized nature which theoretically makes them immune to government interference. The term, cryptocurrency derives from the origin of the encryption techniques that are employed to secure the networks which are used to authenticate blockchain technology. Cryptocurrencies can be thought of as systems that accept online payments which are denoted as “tokens.” Tokens are represented as internal ledger entries in blockchain technology while the term crypto is used to depict cryptographic methods and encryption algorithms such as public-private key pairs, various hashing functions, and an elliptical curve. Every cryptocurrency transaction that occurs is logged in a web-based ledger with blockchain technology.These then must be approved by a disparate network of individual nodes (computers that maintain a copy of the ledger). For every new block generated, the block must first be authenticated and confirmed ‘approved’ by each node, which makes forging the transactional history of cryptocurrencies nearly impossible. The World’s First CryptoBitcoin became the first blockchain-based cryptocurrency and to this day is still the most demanded cryptocurrency and the most valued. Bitcoin still contributes the majority of the overall cryptocurrency market volume, though several other cryptos have grown in popularity in recent years.Indeed, out of the wake of Bitcoin, iterations of Bitcoin became prevalent which resulted in a multitude of newly created or cloned cryptocurrencies. Contending cryptocurrencies that emerged after Bitcoin’s success is referred to as ‘altcoins’ and they refer to cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Peercoin, Namecoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Stellar, and Dash. Cryptocurrencies promise a wide range of technological innovations that have yet to be structured into being. Simplified payments between two parties without the need for a middle man is one aspect while leveraging blockchain technology to minimize transaction and processing fees for banks is another. Of course, cryptocurrencies have their disadvantages too. This includes issues of tax evasion, money laundering, and other illicit online activities where anonymity is a dire ingredient in solicitous and fraudulent activities. Read this Term to engage in fraud.
Cohen said: "The SEC has been open about meeting with people from the industry, to come in and meet with the staff, to talk about the ideas you have, the new developments, and have a dialogue about the new technology. The commission encourages ways to raise capital, we don't regulate the technology - we regulate the financial industry and the markets."
We last reported on Robert Cohen last month, when the SEC busted Centra Tech for its fraudulent ICO.
Raman said: "The number one priority for the Department of Justice is to keep people safe. One concern we have for the larger virtual currency space is large sums of money are flowing through the market without touching financial institutions ... From a national security perspective or an anti-money laundering perspective, that's something ... we have to investigate. As with anything else, it's a balance but it's certainly one of our priorities, to know what's going on."