On April 20, 2024, the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities (“DoBS”) issued a policy statement (“Policy Statement”) to “clarify” that the Department’s interpretation of the term “money” in the Pennsylvania Money Transmitter Act (“MTA”) includes “virtual currency, such as Bitcoin.”  The MTA provides in part that “[n]o person shall engage in the business of transmitting money by means of a transmittal instrument for a fee or other consideration with or on behalf of an individual without first having obtained a license from the department.’”… Continue Reading

In April 2024, Wisconsin and Maine enacted the Model Money Transmission Modernization Law (“MTML”) to implement the Conference of State Bank Supervisors’ Model Money Transmission Modernization Act.  As of April 22, 2024, twenty-one states have fully or partially enacted the model act, and eight additional states having legislation pending.

On April 4, 2024, Wisconsin enacted the MTML, which becomes effective January 1, 2025. … Continue Reading

On August 8, 2022, the District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (the Department”) issued a Bulletin on money transmission (the “Bulletin”).  The Department issued the Bulletin to ensure that parties “engaging in or planning to engage in money transmission with Bitcoin or other virtual currency used as a medium of exchange, method of payment or store of value in the District,” understand that such transactions “require a money transmitter license.”… Continue Reading

On July 20, 2022, the Connecticut Department of Banking (the “Department”) issued a Consumer and Industry Advisory on Money Transmission (the “Advisory”).  The Department believes the Advisory was necessary for two reasons.  First, the Department notes the “significant disruption to traditional money transmission systems” caused by the “increased use of technology to enable immediate payment mechanisms” and “the explosion of virtual currency.” … Continue Reading