In this special episode of K2's Integrity Matters podcast series, I visit with Gabe Hidalgo. Hidalgo is a Managing Director at K2 Integrity. He has 20 years of legal, regulatory compliance, and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) experience working with wholesale and retail banks, FinTech companies, broker/dealers, and money services business entities. Hidalgo is a recognized subject-matter expert in the cryptocurrency and digital assets market and is able to help clients navigate and mitigate Bank Secrecy Act and Anti-Money Laundering (BSA/AML) compliance risks. In this podcast, we take a deep dive into the current issues around cryptocurrency regulation and where they may be headed down the road. Some of the highlights include:

The Current Landscape

Consumer and institutional push into crypto.
NFTs are growing in popularity. What is the significance?
Heavy institutional hitters buying in of late. Is the little guy now cut out?

Current Regulatory Climate

Alternative currency has gone from to an asset class being bought and sold for investing.
What are the views of Gary Gensler and where might the SEC go in terms of regulation and enforcement?
IRS and taxation issues.
What are the benefits of a strong regulatory environment for both the financial system as well as the companies in it?

Into the Future

Inevitability that there will be more regulatory guidance and rules; you have more and more mainstream institutions ready to buy or invest.
Whenever you have that much interest, the government has to get involved from a risk mitigation standpoint, and consumer protection standpoint.
Who is going to oversee it? Why types of products? Who falls in those product classes?

For more on K2 Integrity, check out their website, here.

K2's Integrity Matters - Gabe Hidalgo on Cryptocurrency Regulation