The biggest compliance plot twist of 2025 arrived quietly, in the Federal Register. One rule making later, millions of U.S. startups, crypto or otherwise, found themselves out of scope for federal beneficial-ownership reporting. Here’s the new reality, minus the noise. Quick overview Spring’s rule change narrowed the scope of who must file beneficial ownership information….
This post distills recent public reporting on a North Korean (DPRK) remote-worker scheme into the concrete legal, sanctions, and insider-risk steps counsel should drive right now. Quick Overview A recent investigation by on-chain analyst ZachXBT reveals how a small North Korean (DPRK) team utilized over 30 fabricated identities, complete with government-issued IDs and purchased Upwork/LinkedIn…
FinCEN Issues First Dedicated Warning on Illicit Activity Through Crypto Kiosks On August 4, 2025, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued its first dedicated notice, highlighting the risks associated with convertible virtual currency (CVC) kiosks, also known as cryptocurrency ATMs, and underscoring their role in facilitating illicit financial activity. The alert builds on FinCEN’s…
At Hodder Law, we’re always keeping an eye on the latest cases and news in the crypto industry. This latest case involves one of Web3’s most innovative and widely used platforms, Pump.Fun is the latest example of how a still-maturing industry is coming under increasing legal scrutiny — from regulators, prosecutors, and private plaintiffs alike….
On July 18, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed the GENIUS Act—Guiding the Evolution of National Innovation in U.S. Stablecoins—into law, ushering in a landmark regulatory framework that reshapes America’s approach to digital assets. This bipartisan legislation represents the first comprehensive federal statute dedicated to the oversight of stablecoins—blockchain-based digital tokens pegged to a reserve…
On May 13, 2025, U.S. Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang issued a pivotal preservation order in In re: OpenAI, Inc, (S.D.N.Y., Case No. 1:23-cv-11195) compelling OpenAI to preserve all output log data that would otherwise be deleted—whether at the request of users or under international privacy laws. This ruling, part of ongoing copyright infringement litigation…
The debate over whether crypto assets qualify as securities has been dragging on for years, with regulators often applying outdated legal frameworks to emerging technologies. A new legal analysis of JitoSOL, a liquid staking token (LST) on Solana, sets a high standard for transparency and disclosure. This report addresses the regulatory confusion surrounding LSTs and…
On a pivotal day for the cryptocurrency industry, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued a ruling on Coinbase’s challenge to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The case centers on a fundamental question: how should federal securities laws apply to digital assets? The decision highlights both the limitations and opportunities in…
The Uncertain Future of BOIR Filing Under the Corporate Transparency Act Note: As of December 11, 2024, the requirement for businesses to file Beneficial Ownership Information Reports (BOIR) under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) is temporarily halted due to a nationwide preliminary injunction issued by a federal judge in Texas. The Biden Administration introduced the…
Another Victory for the Crypto Industry! Fifth Circuit Overturns OFAC Sanctions of Tornado Cash Smart Contracts The crypto industry has achieved a major milestone: The Fifth Circuit has overturned the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions against Tornado Cash. What is Tornado Cash? Tornado Cash is a decentralized, open-source protocol on the…