crypto custodian

As commercial enterprises, crypto custodians are also exposed to the risk of becoming insolvent. But what happens to the safeguarded crypto assets of clients in the event of a crypto custody service provider’s insolvency?

The crypto custody business is currently the youngest financial service regulated in the German Banking Act (KWG). As of January 1st, 2020, the custody, management and safeguarding of crypto assets or private keys that serve for storing, holding or transferring crypto assets for others is regulated as a financial service that is subject to authorization. […]

The German Ministries of Finance and Justice published their long-awaited joint draft legislation concerning the introduction of electronic securities in late July of 2020. The reform proposals included in the draft are not limited to a mere equating of paper-based securities and electronically issued securities to be introduced, but instead the Electronic Securities Act (eWPG) […]

According to BaFin, over fifty potential service providers already informed the supervisory authority about their intention to apply for an authorization to conduct crypto custody services until the end of November 2020. Less than ten actual applications have been submitted to BaFin until now. Even though it can be assumed that some of those that […]

Last week BaFin published its long-awaited article concerning the AML obligations of financial service providers that intend to offer crypto custody services. The subject of crypto custody services therefore stays highly topical even during the corona crisis and BaFin continues its efforts to best inform the market participants with regards to the supervisory obligations of […]

Companies that offer their customers the storage of crypto assets and/or private keys that are used for the transfer of crypto assets had to notify BaFin of their intention to apply for authorization as a crypto custodian until the 31st of March 2020. Companies that used this option are now obliged to submit a complete […]

With the introduction of crypto custody services as a financial service that is subject to authorization, Germany positioned internationally as a location with clear and definite laws for the blockchain-business. Even though the German solo effort led to a still inconsistent crypto regulation throughout the continent which in terms of market harmonization within the EU […]

As of the first of January 2020, crypto custodian services will be regulated as a new financial service in Germany. The safekeeping of cryptocurrencies and crypto tokens for customers on a commercial extent will at that point in time require a prior authorization by BaFin. The new financial service touches on a core issue of […]

After the highly anticipated debate in the German Bundestag regarding the transposition of the provisions of the fifth European AML Directive only marginally included a discussion of the introduction of crypto custody services as a new financial service, it is still not foreseeable if the proposed draft, prior to the final vote will be revised […]

Notice: This blog article refers to the first draft of the German Ministry of Finance dated 20th May 2019 which in this form has not been realized by the legislator. On 20 May 2019, the German Ministry of Finance published its first draft for the transposition of the provisions of the 5. European AML Directive into national […]