Tag Archives: Michael Held

Flurry of Announcements by the Federal Reserve on Crypto Activities

by Michael Held, Tiffany J. Smith, Franca Harris Gutierrez, Cory C. Hansen, and Andy V. Reynolds

Photos of the authors

(photos courtesy of WilmerHale) From left to right: Michael Held, Tiffany J. Smith, Franca Harris Gutierrez, Cory C. Hansen, and Andy V. Reynolds

A flurry of activity on January 27 signaled continued skepticism from the Federal Reserve of crypto-asset-related activities generally and open, public or decentralized networks in particular.

Continue reading

FTX Bankruptcy—What Could Be Next for the Industry?

by Yoon-Young Lee, Tiffany J. Smith, Matthew B. Kulkin, Michael Held, Susan Schroeder and Eliza Gonzalez.

One of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges—FTX Trading Ltd.—and many of its affiliates filed for bankruptcy earlier this month. [1] While the full impact of the FTX bankruptcy is not yet clear, various responses from the executive branch and federal and state regulators indicate that, in the short term, agencies will continue to use their existing authorities to seek information about the practices of crypto market participants and to enforce existing rules to protect customers and avoid further market contagion. [2] The following statements may indicate what market participants should expect.
Continue reading

The Evolving First Line of Defense

by Michael Held

Keynote Address

Good morning.  It’s an honor to join you at the 1LoD Summit.  The views I express today are my own, not necessarily those of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or the Federal Reserve System.[1]

I’ve heard it said that being in the risk control business can be, and often is, a thankless task. We get all the blame when something goes wrong, and none of the glory when things go right.  So, I want to start my remarks with a word of gratitude to you, my fellow travelers in the world of risk controls.  Thank you—not just for the invitation to speak today, but also for the work you perform each day at your firms. 

The growing sophistication and stature of the first line of defense is, in my view, an unqualified improvement in corporate governance—especially at financial firms.  Let’s begin with what you are defending.  Continue reading