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From Paper to Blockchain: How Tokenized Collateral Could Transform Finance
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July 1, 2026
From Paper to Blockchain: How Tokenized Collateral Could Transform Finance
By: John Mikuta
Our financial system is on the verge of a groundbreaking transformation that could rival the shift from film to digital photography. Just as smartphones made it instantaneous to capture and share pictures, blockchain-based tokenization of traditional assets could make financial transactions just as seamless. Even though we are now over a quarter of the way through the 21st century, today’s financial infrastructure hasn’t caught up with the times. Our financial system still revolves around antiquated 19th- and 20th-century practices, such as paper records and batch processing. Settlement cycles often take days, which can lead to operational delays and counterparty risk. Tokenization changes this. By representing real-world assets as tokens on a digital blockchain, collateral can move and settle in real…
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Ready, Set, Go: More States Adopt Privacy Laws
June 17, 2026
Ready, Set, Go: More States Adopt Privacy Laws
By: Nicole Kardell
Note the below chart was updated on June 17, 2026 to reflect recent developments. The number of U.S. states that have adopted privacy laws grows regularly. Fortunately, there seems to be quite a bit of crossover, at least when it comes to thresholds that companies must meet in order to trigger compliance requirements. We provide below a chart that summarizes these thresholds by state, including…
I Predict the FTC and Class Action Plaintiffs May Have a Problem with Prediction Market Influencers
June 11, 2026
I Predict the FTC and Class Action Plaintiffs May Have a Problem with Prediction Market Influencers
By: Michelle Cohen
Prediction markets are the hottest topic in gaming right now. Industry leaders Kalshi and Polymarket have provided substantial fodder for debates at the summer gaming conferences, in the gaming trade press, and in mainstream media. Most of that discussion focuses on state versus federal regulation, an issue that the U.S. Supreme Court will likely need to resolve. In the interim, as they promote their platforms…
Congress Saves Consumer Arbitration
October 25, 2017
Congress Saves Consumer Arbitration
By: George Calhoun
In July 2017, the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (“CPFB”) announced a new rule broadly barring arbitration provisions in a wide swath of consumer contracts. See 12 CFR part 1040. To go into effect next Spring, the final rule would have prohibited providers of certain consumer financial products and services from using an agreement with a consumer that provides for arbitration of any future dispute…
GDPR D-Day: If Not Prepared, It Could Cost You Europe
September 26, 2017
GDPR D-Day: If Not Prepared, It Could Cost You Europe
By: Nicole Kardell
GDPR D-Day: May 25, 2018. If you are not prepared, the results could cost you Europe. In the U.S., we’ve had a pretty business-friendly approach to consumer data protection. And while federal and state authorities have their respective consumer protection laws, there is no single federal law that clearly defines U.S. policy on how consumer data may be collected and used. Businesses have come to…
A Giant Demanding Piece of … Restrictiveness: Do you need to pay attention to the coming GDPR?
August 28, 2017
A Giant Demanding Piece of … Restrictiveness: Do you need to pay attention to the coming GDPR?
By: Nicole Kardell
GDPR. If you see those letters and think it is an acronym for Gosh Darned Pain in the Rear (or an edgier equivalent) you are in large-part correct. But if you don’t know any more than that, and you are a company with any ties to Europe, then you need to read further. GDPR, the General Data Protection Regulation, is an extensive and broad-reaching regulation…
ICOs: Proceed with Caution
July 25, 2017
ICOs: Proceed with Caution
By: Steven Eichorn
Today, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) issued an investor bulletin and an investigative report. The investigative report found that companies involved in sales of digital assets via distributed ledger or blockchain technology may be engaged in conduct subject to federal securities laws. While this report is the first of its kind to address initial coin offerings (“ICO”) or token sales and securities regulation, companies…
The FTC’s Role in Privacy
April 22, 2017
The FTC’s Role in Privacy
By: Nicole Kardell
Acting Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, Maureen Ohlhausen, answered questions about the FTC’s current role in data privacy before a crowded audience at the April 2017 IAPP Global Privacy Summit in D.C. Below are some take-aways we wanted to share from Commissioner Ohlhausen’s talk: Even if out of ISP oversight, the FTC is actively engaged in data privacy enforcement through its consumer protection role….
