MAS won't regulate cryptocurrencies; but stays alert to risk

SINGAPORE (Oct 25): Singapore doesn’t plan to regulate cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, but will remain alert to money laundering and other potential risks stemming from their use, the head of the country’s central bank said.

“As of now I see no basis for wanting to regulate cryptocurrencies,” Monetary Authority of Singapore Managing Director Ravi Menon said in an interview. Rather, the central bank’s focus is to “look at the activities surrounding the cryptocurrency and asking ourselves what kinds of risks they pose, which risks would require a regulatory response, and then proceed from there,” Menon added.

Bitcoin’s rally and the proliferation of other digital assets is attracting the wary eyes of regulators globally, though many central banks have still refrained from supervising cryptocurrencies themselves. China and South Korea have banned initial coin offerings, while Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for regulation of the sector.

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