# Digital Currency and Blockchain Weekly Round-Up – February 15th, 2019 By Shampa Mani Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/technology/1284 Published: 2019-02-15T11:28:24.000Z Updated: 2019-02-15T11:28:24.000Z Section: Technology > US SEC working on “supplemental guidance” on crypto-fundraising efforts, says Commissioner Hester Peirce The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is working to offer additional guidance to help people determi… [US SEC working on “supplemental guidance” on crypto-fundraising efforts, says Commissioner Hester Peirce]() The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is working to offer additional guidance to help people determine if their token offerings fall under securities laws. The SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce recently said, “The [SEC] staff is working on some supplemental guidance to help people think through whether their crypto-fundraising efforts fall under the securities laws.” [US CFTC includes cryptocurrencies in 2019 examination priorities]() The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has, for the first time, announced Examination Priorities for its divisions for 2019. According to the press release, DMO’s Compliance Branch’s examination priorities for this year include cryptocurrency surveillance practices, real-time market monitoring practices and others. [Australia’s DTA recommends pragmatic approach towards blockchain technology]() The Australian government’s Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) has published “Blockchain: Latest advice for government agencies” and recommended a pragmatic approach to agencies considering adopting blockchain technology. It said that its findings are consistent with the recommendations of other jurisdictions. [Malta Financial Services Authority launches cybersecurity consultation focused on blockchain and crypto industry]() The Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) has launched a consultation on cybersecurity in the wake of recent technological advancements such as distributed ledger technology (DLT). In its consultation document, entitled “Guidance Notes on Cybersecurity,” the regulator has proposed that its cybersecurity architecture should be in compliance with internationally and nationally recognized cybersecurity standards. [Mauritius FSC to implement licensing framework for digital asset custodian services in March]() The Mauritian Financial Services Commission (FSC) has announced that a regulatory framework for digital asset custodian services will go into effect on 01 March 2019. The announcement follows a public consultation period launched last November on the proposed regulatory framework. [Luxembourg lawmakers pass blockchain bill into law]() Luxembourg lawmakers have passed a bill that will encourage the use of blockchain technology in the country’s financial services, CoinTelegraph reported. The bill aims to “provide financial market participants with legal certainty for the circulation of securities via blockchain technology. [Liberty Korea Party partners with ioeX to use blockchain technology in youth committee election]() South Korea’s main opposition Liberty Korea Party has entered into a partnership with Taiwanese startup ioeX to implement a blockchain-based voting system. The blockchain voting system will be officially used during the Liberty Korea Party's youth committee election in March. Funding/Investments/Acquisitions - Two U.S. pension funds back [Morgan Creek Digital’s]() $40M blockchain venture fund - Blockchain-powered remittance startup [SendFriend]() raises $1.7M from Ripple, Barclays and others - Blockchain startup [Chainalysis]() raises $30M in Series B round - [BitMEX Ventures]() leads crypto startup FinFabrik’s seed round - [Rabobank]() pumps ‎€80M into venture fund to drive fintech and agtech investments - Canadian crypto exchange [Coinsquare]() acquires StellarX Partnerships/Consortiums - [Enterprise Ethereum Alliance]() opens regional office in China - Enterprise Ethereum Alliance to [launch token task force]() in 2019 Digital Currency and Blockchain Initiatives - [Intel]() announces new product to accelerate blockchain deployment - [Italian interbank blockchain project]() enters pre-production phase - UC Berkeley launches [blockchain accelerator]() for early stage startups - [Hyundai Commercial]() partners with IBM to create blockchain-based commercial financing platform - Czech-based [SDK.finance taps Oracle Blockchain Platform]() for faster cross-border payments - [Akamai and MUFG]() expand partnership to form blockchain-focused joint venture ‘GO-NET’ - [Boehringer Ingelheim and IBM Canada]() to explore blockchain potential in clinical trials - [Standard Chartered]() signs MOU to use Linklogis’ blockchain-enabled supply chain financing platform - Crypto exchange Binance plans to launch [Binance Chain testnet]() on February 20 - [TRON partners with ALS Association](), seeks to use blockchain for donation tracking - Bitfury, Longenesis and Medical Diagnostic Web partner to develop next[-generation healthcare blockchain]() - [GM Financial]() teams up with blockchain startup Spring Labs - XinFin joins [R3 blockchain consortium]() to host dApps on Corda - [Unimoni and UAE Exchange]() go live on Ripple’s blockchain network ‘RippleNet’ - IBM Research, The Freshwater Trust and SweetSense to track [groundwater usage using blockchain and IoT]() - [JP Morgan]() reveals key details of Quorum Blockchain-based JPM Coin - Dutch firm [ElaadNL]() taps IOTA technology for autonomous smart grid PoC - [Samsung SDS]() develops blockchain accelerator technology to enhance transaction processing speed ## Links in this article - [US SEC working on “supplemental guidance” on crypto-fundraising efforts, says Commissioner Hester Peirce](https://tokenpost.com/US-SEC-working-on-supplemental-guidance-on-crypto-fundraising-efforts-says-Commissioner-Hester-Peirce-1248) - [US CFTC includes cryptocurrencies in 2019 examination priorities](https://tokenpost.com/US-CFTC-includes-cryptocurrencies-in-2019-examination-priorities-1272) - [Australia’s DTA recommends pragmatic approach towards blockchain technology](https://tokenpost.com/Australias-DTA-recommends-pragmatic-approach-towards-blockchain-technology-1253) - [Malta Financial Services Authority launches cybersecurity consultation focused on blockchain and crypto industry](https://tokenpost.com/Malta-Financial-Services-Authority-launches-cybersecurity-consultation-focused-on-blockchain-and-crypto-industry-1245) - [Mauritius FSC to implement licensing framework for digital asset custodian services in March](https://tokenpost.com/Mauritius-FSC-to-implement-licensing-framework-for-digital-asset-custodian-services-in-March-1244) - [Luxembourg lawmakers pass blockchain bill into law](https://tokenpost.com/Luxembourg-lawmakers-pass-blockchain-bill-into-law-1279) - [Liberty Korea Party partners with ioeX to use blockchain technology in youth committee election](https://tokenpost.com/Liberty-Korea-Party-partners-with-ioeX-to-use-blockchain-technology-in-youth-committee-election-1242) - [Morgan Creek Digital’s](https://tokenpost.com/Two-US-pension-funds-back-Morgan-Creek-Digitals-40M-blockchain-venture-fund-1260) - [SendFriend](https://tokenpost.com/Blockchain-powered-remittance-startup-SendFriend-raises-17M-from-Ripple-Barclays-and-others-1259) - [Chainalysis](https://tokenpost.com/Blockchain-startup-Chainalysis-raises-30M-in-Series-B-round-1258) - [BitMEX Ventures](https://tokenpost.com/BitMEX-Ventures-leads-crypto-startup-FinFabriks-seed-round-1252) - [Rabobank](https://tokenpost.com/Rabobank-pumps-80M-into-venture-fund-to-drive-fintech-and-agtech-investments-1282) - [Coinsquare](https://tokenpost.com/Canadian-crypto-exchange-Coinsquare-acquires-StellarX-1278) - [Enterprise Ethereum Alliance](https://tokenpost.com/Enterprise-Ethereum-Alliance-opens-regional-office-in-China-1269) - [launch token task force](https://tokenpost.com/Enterprise-Ethereum-Alliance-to-launch-token-task-force-in-2019-1281) - [Intel](https://tokenpost.com/Intel-announces-new-product-to-accelerate-blockchain-deployment-1274) - [Italian interbank blockchain project](https://tokenpost.com/Italian-interbank-blockchain-project-enters-pre-production-phase-1270) - [blockchain accelerator](https://tokenpost.com/UC-Berkeley-launches-blockchain-accelerator-for-early-stage-startups-1268) - [Hyundai Commercial](https://tokenpost.com/Hyundai-Commercial-partners-with-IBM-to-create-blockchain-based-commercial-financing-platform-1265) - [SDK.finance taps Oracle Blockchain Platform](https://tokenpost.com/Czech-based-SDKfinance-taps-Oracle-Blockchain-Platform-for-faster-cross-border-payments-1263) - [Akamai and MUFG](https://tokenpost.com/Akamai-and-MUFG-expand-partnership-to-form-blockchain-focused-joint-venture-GO-NET-1262) - [Boehringer Ingelheim and IBM Canada](https://tokenpost.com/Boehringer-Ingelheim-and-IBM-Canada-to-explore-blockchain-potential-in-clinical-trials-1261) - [Standard Chartered](https://tokenpost.com/Standard-Chartered-signs-MOU-to-use-Linklogis-blockchain-enabled-supply-chain-financing-platform-1257) - [Binance Chain testnet](https://tokenpost.com/Crypto-exchange-Binance-plans-to-launch-Binance-Chain-testnet-on-February-20-1254) - [TRON partners with ALS Association](https://tokenpost.com/TRON-partners-with-ALS-Association-seeks-to-use-blockchain-for-donation-tracking-1251) - [-generation healthcare blockchain](https://tokenpost.com/Bitfury-Longenesis-and-Medical-Diagnostic-Web-partner-to-develop-next-generation-healthcare-blockchain-1250) - [GM Financial](https://tokenpost.com/GM-Financial-teams-up-with-blockchain-startup-Spring-Labs-1249) - [R3 blockchain consortium](https://tokenpost.com/XinFin-joins-R3-blockchain-consortium-to-host-dApps-on-Corda-1246) - [Unimoni and UAE Exchange](https://tokenpost.com/Unimoni-and-UAE-Exchange-go-live-on-Ripples-blockchain-network-RippleNet-1243) - [groundwater usage using blockchain and IoT](https://tokenpost.com/IBM-Research-The-Freshwater-Trust-and-SweetSense-to-track-groundwater-usage-using-blockchain-and-IoT-1241) - [JP Morgan](https://tokenpost.com/JP-Morgan-reveals-key-details-of-Quorum-Blockchain-based-JPM-Coin-1277) - [ElaadNL](https://tokenpost.com/Dutch-firm-ElaadNL-taps-IOTA-technology-for-autonomous-smart-grid-PoC-1283) - [Samsung SDS](https://tokenpost.com/Samsung-SDS-develops-blockchain-accelerator-technology-to-enhance-transaction-processing-speed-1276)