Alex Mashinsky’s assets frozen by US court as part of criminal case

Binance is set to implement new compliance measures for South African users, requiring sender and receiver information for all crypto deposits and withdrawals.In an announcement on April 23, the largest exchange in terms of daily trading volume of cryptocurrencies said the move comes in response to local regulatory demands.Starting April 30, Binance users in South Africa will be prompted to provide additional information when transferring crypto.For deposits, users must disclose the sender’s full name, country of residence, and, if applicable, the name of the originating crypto exchange. Similarly, withdrawals will require beneficiary details before processing.Binance to require information for all crypto transfers in South Africa. Source: BinanceThe update will only impact crypto deposits and withdrawals, leaving trading and other platform features unaffected.Related: US judge transfers Binance lawsuit to Florida, citing first-to-file ruleMissing transfer details may reverse transactionsBinance warned that failure to provide the required information may result in delayed transactions or, in some cases, a return of funds to the sender.In preparation for the rollout, users will need to re-login to their accounts starting April 24.The change comes as South Africa moves to boost oversight of the rapidly moving crypto sector.On April 2, Bloomberg reported that South Africa’s Revenue Service (SARS) is urging individuals, crypto exchanges and intermediaries involved in crypto transactions to register with the authority, warning that failure to do so is now illegal.In March, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) of South Africa issued a public warning against two unlicensed crypto firms, Afriinvest and Mutualwealth, accusing them of soliciting investments while promising unrealistic returns of up to 10,000 rand ($542) per day.Related: Binance, KuCoin, MEXC report service issues due to AWS network interruptionSouth Africa pushes to become key crypto hubEmerging economies across Africa, particularly South Africa, are positioning themselves as potential digital asset hubs amid growing regulatory clarity, Ben Caselin, chief marketing officer (CMO) of Johannesburg-based crypto exchange VALR, told Cointelegraph in September 2024.Caselin said that South Africa’s strong legal framework and ease of business make it a key entry point for crypto expansion across the continent.The South African crypto market is projected to generate $278 million in revenue in 2025, with expectations to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.86% and reach $332.9 million by 2028, according to Statista.Revenue in South Africa’s crypto market is expected to grow by 7.86% by 2028. Source: StatistaRegulatory momentum is increasing, with the FSCA approving 59 crypto platform licenses in March 2024, while over 260 applications remain under review.Cointelegraph contacted Binance for comments but did not receive a response by publication.Magazine: Former Love Island star’s tips on how to go viral in crypto: Van00sa, X Hall of Flame

The US Securities and Exchange Commission has said it doesn’t intend to refile its securities fraud complaint against Hex founder Richard Schueler, who goes by Richard Heart.“Plaintiff Securities and Exchange Commission provides this notice that it does not intend to file an amended complaint in this matter,” the regulator’s lawyer, Matthew Gulde, stated in an April 21 letter to New York District Court Judge Carol Bagley Amon. The court had previously dismissed the SEC’s original complaint on Feb. 28 as Judge Amon said the regulator failed to establish that it had jurisdiction over Heart’s activities, which she said were not specifically targeted at US investors.She granted leave for the SEC to file an amended complaint by March 20, later extending the deadline to April 21.Heart posted to X on April 22 that “Richard Heart, PulseChain, PulseX, and HEX have defeated the SEC completely and have achieved regulatory clarity that nearly no other coins have.”Letter from the SEC to Judge Amon. Source: PACERHeart added that the SEC walked away from some of its other cryptocurrency cases voluntarily, but claimed his was the only case where “the SEC lost and crypto won across the board, with a dismissal in court of every single claim the SEC brought.”Heart said it was a victory for open-source software, cryptocurrency and free speech because the SEC “actually sued software code itself in this case.” SEC hunted Heart in FinlandThe SEC sued Heart in July 2023 for alleged unregistered securities offerings of three tokens, HEX, PulseChain (PLS), and PulseX (PSLX), claiming he made more than $1 billion by touting the tokens as a “pathway to grandiose wealth for investors.”In April 2024, Heart tried to have the suit tossed, claiming the regulator “has no sway over him,” because he didn’t reside in the United States. Related: Finnish police seize watches worth $2.6M from Hex founder Richard Heart: ReportThe SEC opposed this in August, claiming he touted the tokens at a Las Vegas event. In December 2024, Interpol issued a Red Notice for Heart, seeking his arrest in Finland, where he was also suspected of tax evasion. The PulseChain native token (HEX) hit an all-time high of $0.031 in December 2024 but has since tanked 76% as most altcoins have failed to follow Bitcoin’s momentum this year. The SEC has dropped or suspended several cases against crypto firms so far this year under the Trump administration.Magazine: Altcoin season to hit in Q2? Mantra’s plan to win trust: Hodler’s Digest

The Federal Court of Australia has sided with fintech firm Block Earner in an appeal against a ruling that found it was required to hold a financial services license for its now-discontinued crypto-related products. Block Earner’s crypto-linked fixed-yield earning product is not a financial product, or a managed investment scheme, and is not a derivative under the Corporations Act, Justices David O’Callaghan, Wendy Abraham and Catherine Button said in an April 22 judgment. The trio said Block Earner’s yield product couldn’t be classed as an investment or financial product because users loaned crypto under fixed terms for interest payments and didn’t pool contributions to generate further benefits. The terms and conditions framed it as a loan, and users had no exposure to the firm’s business outside of the agreed interest rate, they added.A court has dismissed the legal proceedings against Block Earner and ordered Australia’s financial regulator to pay costs. Source: ASICThe Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC), which first brought the case, has been ordered by the court to pay costs for the proceedings, including appeals. The regulator said in an April 22 press release that it is currently “considering this decision.”Block Earner’s chief commercial officer, James Coombes, told Cointelegraph the court decision brings clarity that crypto assets shouldn’t be treated differently from other asset classes when applying existing laws. “Our product was simply defined as one where customers would lend their assets to us for a fixed return, there was no share in the upside of the pool of assets and as such no Managed Investment Scheme existed,” he said. “The fact that it included crypto assets should not alter that simple definition, and I believe this case forms a bedrock for ambitious brands around Australia to build from.”An ASIC spokesperson declined further comment.Earner product won’t make a return Despite the win in court, Block Earner will not be reviving its Earner product after axing it when legal proceedings began, but Coombes said that “crypto-backed loans products remain the core focus of the company.”“Regulation going forward is not an easy task, and we empathise with the regulators on this point,” Coombes added. “We hope a collaborative process can bring about positive change.” Related: Australia outlines crypto regulation plan, promises action on debankingASIC launched civil legal proceedings in November 2022, arguing that Block Earner needed an Australian Financial Services License to offer its three crypto-linked fixed-yield earning products.In February 2024, an Australian court initially found the fintech firm would need a financial services license to operate its crypto yield-bearing products. Another June 2024 ruling released Block Earner from any financial penalties because it had “acted honestly” and pursued its legal opinions before launching the products, which ASIC appealed.Magazine: SEC’s U-turn on crypto leaves key questions unanswered