ASIC on Blockchain: Australia's Securities Watchdog Unlikely to Regulate ICOs

Australia's top securities regulator believes central bank-issued cryptocurrencies could one day throttle illicit bitcoin use, and that initial coin offerings (ICOs) will remain largely outside the scope of global regulators.

In interview with CoinDesk, Greg Medcraft, chairman of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), spoke openly about the state of blockchain technology and its impact on international regulators. Perhaps most notable are Medcraft's comments on the idea that centrally-issued cryptocurrencies present an attractive way to thwart illicit cryptocurrency use, a comment that came in response to questions about the rise of ransomware attacks leveraging the technology.

"Depending on the type of centrally-issued digital currency, the ability to deal with the black economy and money laundering, etc, is dramatic," he told CoinDesk.

http://www.coindesk.com/asic-on-blockchain-australias-securities-watchdog-unlikely-to-regulate-icos/