# Digital Currency and Blockchain Weekly Round-up – September 14th, 2018 By Shampa Mani Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/technology/372 Published: 2018-09-14T11:22:54.000Z Updated: 2018-09-14T11:22:54.000Z Section: Technology > France creates legal framework for ICOs The French parliament has implemented a legal framework for initial coin offerings (ICOs), French Finance minister Bruno Le Maire confirmed via Twitter. Under the new legislatio… [France creates legal framework for ICOs]() The French parliament has implemented a legal framework for initial coin offerings (ICOs), French Finance minister Bruno Le Maire confirmed via Twitter. Under the new legislation, which was enacted on September 12, businesses seeking to conduct an ICO would need to apply for a visa from the AMF, ICOExaminer reported. [Japan's FSA to add 12 more people to cryptocurrency team]() Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) is seeking to expand its team focused on cryptocurrencies and related activities, a senior official was recently quoted saying. Kiyotaka Sasaki, vice commissioner for policy coordination at the FSA, revealed that FSA is planning to increase the headcount by 12 more people for the fiscal year of 2019, adding that the objective is to “strengthen the response to virtual currency exchange operators.” [Australian financial regulator ASIC to develop new rules for cryptocurrency exchanges]() The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has revealed its plans to develop new approach for regulating cryptocurrency exchanges and increase monitoring of initial coin offerings (ICOs) in order to protect investors. The regulator last week released its corporate plan for 2018-2022 in which it has outlined its key focus areas including crypto-assets and ICOs. [US judge says ICOs fall under federal securities law in Maksim Zaslavskiy’s case]() A federal judge in the U.S. has ruled that a criminal case against two reportedly fraudulent initial coin offerings (ICOs) (conducted by Maksim Zaslavskiy and his two companies – REcoin Group Foundation and DRC World) falls under the scope of the country’s securities laws. [Uzbekistan to establish government-licensed cryptocurrency exchange]() The government of Uzbekistan is seeking to establish the country’s first government-approved cryptocurrency exchange. “The Uzbekistan delegates will disclose detailed plans on ‘The Establishment of National Cryptocurrency Exchange and the Development of Digital Economy’ and seek potential partners for future funding,” Kim Chul, Head of Blockchain Real Estate Institute, said in a statement. [South Korean banks seek to bring more crypto traders under real-name system – Report]() The government of South Korea introduced the real-name system for cryptocurrency accounts in January this year. In the wake of low conversion rate to the real-name system introduced earlier this year, South Korean banks are now seeking to limit services for customers who are not using the real-name system, Bitcoin.com reported referring to local media sources. [NYDFS approves Gemini and Paxos to offer USD-pegged stablecoin]() The New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) has announced that it has authorized Gemini Trust Company and Paxos Trust Company to offer stablecoin, pegged to the U. S. dollar. [R3 blockchain consortium and Ripple Labs reach settlement in XRP token litigation]() Ripple Labs, a provider of enterprise blockchain solutions for payments, and XRP II, LLC, have released an official statement on the lawsuit with enterprise software firm R3. “R3 HoldCo LLC, R3 LLC, Ripple Labs Inc. and XRP II, LLC announce that they have reached a settlement of all outstanding litigation between the parties. The terms of the agreement will remain confidential and both sides look forward to putting these disputes behind them,” the statement reads. Research Studies - ICOs sold 283k ETH over past 30 days, reports [TrustNodes]() - [Bank of Korea]() analyses price gap between domestic and foreign crypto asset market - Indian government gives go-ahead to [Exim Bank’s blockchain research]() with BRICS-based banks Investments/Acquisitions - Singaporean crypto exchange [KuCoin invests $3M in Bitcoin Australia]() - [Lightyear becomes Interstellar]() following acquisition of blockchain startup Chain - [Cointopia]() secures $3M in seed funding, launches marketplace for blockchain companies and service providers - Crypto payments startup [Wyre acquires Hedgy]() Consortiums/Partnerships - ZED Network joins Interstellar Partner Program to tap [Stellar for money transfer service]() - SABB becomes [first bank in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia]() to join R3 blockchain consortium - [National Commercial Bank]() of Saudi Arabia joins Ripple’s blockchain network - [RiskBlock Alliance taps R3’s Corda]() for risk management and insurance industry’s first blockchain platform - Coinbase, Circle, Digital Currency Group and others form [Blockchain Association]() Digital Currency and Blockchain Initiatives - [Nasdaq]() tests new tool to predict crypto price movements – Report - [Citigroup]() seeks to enable less risky crypto investments – Report - Engie and Maltem announce [new venture]() to make blockchain more accessible - [Samsung SDS]() to build blockchain-based customs system - Russian manufacturing conglomerate [Rostec]() seeks to manage data using blockchain - SoftBank, TBCASoft, Synchronoss complete PoC on RCS and [blockchain-based mobile payments service]() - [Kuehne + Nagel]() upgrades VGM Portal using blockchain technology - New South Wales to trial [blockchain-based digital driver licenses]() ## Links in this article - [France creates legal framework for ICOs](https://tokenpost.com/France-creates-legal-framework-for-ICOs-361) - [Japan's FSA to add 12 more people to cryptocurrency team](https://tokenpost.com/Japans-FSA-to-add-12-more-people-to-cryptocurrency-team-360) - [Australian financial regulator ASIC to develop new rules for cryptocurrency exchanges](https://tokenpost.com/Australian-financial-regulator-to-develop-new-rules-for-cryptocurrency-exchanges-326) - [US judge says ICOs fall under federal securities law in Maksim Zaslavskiy’s case](https://tokenpost.com/US-judge-says-ICOs-fall-under-federal-securities-law-in-Maksim-Zaslavskiys-case-352) - [Uzbekistan to establish government-licensed cryptocurrency exchange](https://tokenpost.com/Uzbekistan-to-establish-government-licensed-cryptocurrency-exchange-336) - [South Korean banks seek to bring more crypto traders under real-name system – Report](https://tokenpost.com/South-Korean-banks-seek-to-bring-more-crypto-traders-under-real-name-system--Report-340) - [NYDFS approves Gemini and Paxos to offer USD-pegged stablecoin](https://tokenpost.com/NYDFS-approves-Gemini-and-Paxos-to-offer-USD-pegged-stablecoin-338) - [R3 blockchain consortium and Ripple Labs reach settlement in XRP token litigation](https://tokenpost.com/R3-blockchain-consortium-and-Ripple-Labs-reach-settlement-in-XRP-token-litigation-337) - [TrustNodes](https://tokenpost.com/ICOs-sold-283k-ETH-over-past-30-days-TrustNodes-finds-366) - [Bank of Korea](https://tokenpost.com/Bank-of-Korea-analyses-price-gap-between-domestic-and-foreign-crypto-asset-market-350) - [Exim Bank’s blockchain research](https://tokenpost.com/Indian-government-gives-go-ahead-to-Exim-Banks-blockchain-research-with-BRICS-based-banks-356) - [KuCoin invests $3M in Bitcoin Australia](https://tokenpost.com/Singaporean-crypto-exchange-KuCoin-invests-3M-in-Bitcoin-Australia-349) - [Lightyear becomes Interstellar](https://tokenpost.com/Lightyear-becomes-Interstellar-following-acquisition-of-blockchain-startup-Chain-335) - [Cointopia](https://tokenpost.com/Cointopia-secures-3M-in-seed-funding-launches-marketplace-for-blockchain-companies-and-service-providers-330) - [Wyre acquires Hedgy](https://tokenpost.com/Crypto-payments-startup-Wyre-acquires-Hedgy-327) - [Stellar for money transfer service](https://tokenpost.com/ZED-Network-joins-Interstellar-Partner-Program-to-tap-Stellar-for-money-transfer-service-367) - [first bank in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia](https://tokenpost.com/SABB-becomes-first-bank-in-Kingdom-of-Saudi-Arabia-to-join-R3-blockchain-consortium-341) - [National Commercial Bank](https://tokenpost.com/National-Commercial-Bank-of-Saudi-Arabia-joins-Ripples-blockchain-network-370) - [RiskBlock Alliance taps R3’s Corda](https://tokenpost.com/RiskBlock-Alliance-taps-R3s-Corda-for-risk-management-and-insurance-industrys-first-blockchain-platform-355) - [Blockchain Association](https://tokenpost.com/Coinbase-Circle-Digital-Currency-Group-and-others-form-Blockchain-Association-347) - [Nasdaq](https://tokenpost.com/Nasdaq-tests-new-tool-to-predict-crypto-price-movements--Report-339) - [Citigroup](https://tokenpost.com/Citigroup-seeks-to-enable-less-risky-crypto-investments--Report-333) - [new venture](https://tokenpost.com/Engie-and-Maltem-announce-new-venture-to-make-blockchain-more-accessible-325) - [Samsung SDS](https://tokenpost.com/Samsung-SDS-to-build-blockchain-based-customs-system-371) - [Rostec](https://tokenpost.com/Russian-manufacturing-conglomerate-Rostec-seeks-to-manage-data-using-blockchain-358) - [blockchain-based mobile payments service](https://tokenpost.com/SoftBank-TBCASoft-Synchronoss-complete-PoC-on-RCS-and-blockchain-based-mobile-payments-service-348) - [Kuehne + Nagel](https://tokenpost.com/Kuehne--Nagel-upgrades-VGM-Portal-using-blockchain-technology-345) - [blockchain-based digital driver licenses](https://tokenpost.com/New-South-Wales-to-trial-blockchain-based-digital-driver-licences-331)