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New York Finalizes ‘BitLicense’ Rules for Virtual Currency Companies

By Kira Zalan

Businesses that transmit or control virtual funds on behalf of others have 45 days to apply for a state-issued license that imposes anti-money laundering controls, New York said Wednesday. The final rule by the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYSDFS) instructs money services businesses (MSBs) and companies that administer and issue Bitcoin and other digital currencies to designate a compliance officer, file suspicious activity reports (SARs) and implement controls intended to prevent fraud, money laundering, cyber-attacks and privacy violations. The regulation also bars covered firms from maintaining accounts for foreign shell companies and requires the firms to identify...

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