AFRICA: South Africa Regulators to Unveil Document Categorizing Stablecoins as a ‘Particular Type of Crypto Asset’

In 2024, the Intergovernmental Fintech Working Group, a consortium of South African regulators that unveiled a position paper on crypto assets in 2021, is expected to “publish additions to include stablecoins as a particular type of crypto asset.” The consortium is also considering the impact of tokenisation on domestic financial markets and is expected to release a paper providing an overview of tokenisation by June 2024.

IFWG to Analyze Stablecoin Use Cases
Later this year, South Africa’s Intergovernmental Fintech Working Group (IFWG) is set to publish a document that categorizes stablecoins as a specific type of crypto asset, the latest National Treasury budget review document has revealed.

The IFWG, a body comprising South African regulators such as the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) and the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), is also expected to “conduct analytical work to understand the applicable use cases of stablecoins.”

As detailed in the budget review, this new document will supplement a position paper released in 2021. In the position paper, the IFWG proposed 25 recommendations on the regulation, policy, and legal stance towards crypto assets that South Africa should adopt.

IFWG to Recommend Stablecoin Policy and Regulatory Response
As reported by Bitcoin.com News, the IFWG advised authorities to classify crypto assets as financial products. However, the body emphasized that such a classification does not equate to an endorsement of crypto assets. In November 2023, in line with the IFWG’s recommendations, the FSCA designated crypto assets as financial products.

According to the budget review, the IFWG is expected to propose an appropriate policy and regulatory response once again. The body will also ensure that its recommendations align with global standards.

In the realm of tokenization, South Africa’s budget review for 2024 indicates that the IFWG is currently examining the potential effects on the nation’s financial markets.

“The IFWG is considering the impact of tokenisation on domestic financial markets. By June
2024, a paper providing an overview of tokenisation will be published. By December 2024, a discussion paper will be published that outlines the policy and regulatory implications of
tokenisation and blockchain-based financial market infrastructure,” the National Treasury 2024 Budget Review states.

4 October 2024

TAX EVASION: After a Deloitte client’s $2.4B tax dodge faltered, the accounting giant won’t say if it helped others exploit the same loophole

ICIJ reviewed hundreds of pages of court records to examine the Big Four firm’s role in a controversial tax maneuver, which one expert labeled “easily replicable.” Late last year, the Internal

Read More
13 December 2024

EU: Adidas HQ raided in tax evasion investigation

Adidas’ German headquarters were raided by criminal prosecutors and customs investigators this week as part of a multi-year investigation into suspected tax evasion by the sports brand worth more

Read More
19 April 2024

US: Millionaires’ Effective Tax Rate Has Been Cut by Half Since Mid-20th Century

Millionaires are currently being taxed at half of the effective tax rate they were paying in the mid-20th century, a new report finds, as the tax code has become increasingly regressive and wealth inequality

Read More
11 October 2024

IRELAND: EU’s Apple ruling leaves Ireland with ‘too much money’

If you were to visit Dublin and take a short trip down the Liffey towards the Docklands, you’d see some buildings made of mostly glass and steel along its banks. These buildings, in proud letters,

Read More