Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026)

A research archive on Bitcoin compiled in October 2026: US federal and state law (FinCEN's virtual-currency record from 1999, the 2020 unhosted-wallet rule and its 2026 withdrawal, notes on all 50 states and DC), KYC/AML for buying and selling, banking, exchanges, wallets, payment processors, hacks and their causes, patents, the 2007–2011 origins, and the evidence on who Satoshi Nakamoto is. Every note dates and cites its claims and labels anything unverified, contested or fringe. Government, court and patent records are kept here in full; other sources are cited with a link to the original. Filter by case to pick a topic, such as fincen, states or notes. Download it all as a dataset. Research, not advice. These notes explain what happened and why; they are not recommendations to buy or sell. Statuses of bills and rules are as checked on the date each note gives.

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155 documents · case: fincen

Press release: New FinCEN Guidance Affirms Its Longstanding Regulatory Framework for Virtual Currencies

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Fincen · snapshot 2019-05-09

FinCEN. 2019-05-09. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: New FinCEN Guidance Affirms Its Longstanding Regulatory Framework for Virtual Currencies and a New FinCEN Advisory Warns of Threats Posed by Virtual Currency Misuse | FinCEN.gov Skip to main content An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know Here’s how you know The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site. The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connectin…

Press release: Leaders of CFTC, FinCEN, and SEC Issue Joint Statement on Activities Involving Digital Assets

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Fincen · snapshot 2019-10-11

FinCEN. 2019-10-11. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: Leaders of CFTC, FinCEN, and SEC Issue Joint Statement on Activities Involving Digital Assets | FinCEN.gov Skip to main content An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know Here’s how you know The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site. The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encry…

Press release: Financial Intelligence Units Meet to Discuss Global Issues Surrounding Virtual Assets

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Fincen · snapshot 2020-02-19

FinCEN. 2020-02-19. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: Financial Intelligence Units Meet to Discuss Global Issues Surrounding Virtual Assets | FinCEN.gov Skip to main content An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know Here’s how you know The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site. The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and…

Press release: First Bitcoin 'Mixer' Penalized by FinCEN

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Fincen · snapshot 2020-10-19

FinCEN. 2020-10-19. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: First Bitcoin “Mixer” Penalized by FinCEN for Violating Anti-Money Laundering Laws | FinCEN.gov Skip to main content An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know Here’s how you know The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site. The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and tr…

Press release: FinCEN Proposes Rule Aimed at Closing AML Regulatory Gaps for Certain CVC and Digital Asset Transactions

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Fincen · snapshot 2020-12-18

FinCEN/Treasury. 2020-12-18. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: Treasury News Release: The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network Proposes Rule Aimed at Closing Anti-Money Laundering Regulatory Gaps for Certain Convertible Virtual Currency and Digital Asset Transactions | FinCEN.gov Skip to main content An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know Here’s how you know The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site. The site is secure. The…

Press release: FinCEN Extends Comment Period (unhosted wallet NPRM)

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Fincen · snapshot 2021-01-14

FinCEN. 2021-01-14. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: FinCEN Extends Comment Period for Rule Aimed at Closing Anti-Money Laundering Regulatory Gaps for Certain Convertible Virtual Currency and Digital Asset Transactions | FinCEN.gov Skip to main content An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know Here’s how you know The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site. The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecti…

Press release: FinCEN Extends Reopened Comment Period (unhosted wallet NPRM)

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Fincen · snapshot 2021-01-26

FinCEN. 2021-01-26. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: FinCEN Extends Reopened Comment Period for Proposed Rulemaking on Certain Convertible Virtual Currency and Digital Asset Transactions | FinCEN.gov Skip to main content An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know Here’s how you know The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site. The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and t…

Press release: FinCEN Welcomes First-Ever Chief Digital Currency Advisor

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Fincen · snapshot 2021-07-06

FinCEN. 2021-07-06. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: FinCEN Welcomes First-Ever Chief Digital Currency Advisor and First Director of Strategic Communications | FinCEN.gov Skip to main content An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know Here’s how you know The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site. The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provi…

Press release: FinCEN Announces $100 Million Enforcement Action Against BitMEX

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Fincen · snapshot 2021-08-10

FinCEN. 2021-08-10. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: FinCEN Announces $100 Million Enforcement Action Against Unregistered Futures Commission Merchant BitMEX for Willful Violations of the Bank Secrecy Act | FinCEN.gov Skip to main content An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know Here’s how you know The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site. The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the offi…

Press release: FinCEN Announces $29 Million Enforcement Action Against Bittrex

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Fincen · snapshot 2022-10-11

FinCEN. 2022-10-11. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: FinCEN Announces $29 Million Enforcement Action Against Virtual Asset Service Provider Bittrex for Willful Violations of the Bank Secrecy Act | FinCEN.gov Skip to main content An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know Here’s how you know The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site. The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official websi…

Press release: FinCEN Identifies Virtual Currency Exchange Bitzlato as a 'Primary Money Laundering Concern'

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Fincen · snapshot 2023-01-18

FinCEN. 2023-01-18. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: FinCEN Identifies Virtual Currency Exchange Bitzlato as a “Primary Money Laundering Concern” in Connection with Russian Illicit Finance | FinCEN.gov Skip to main content An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know Here’s how you know The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site. The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and…

Readout: FinCEN Joins Harvard Kennedy School Event on Cryptocurrency in Financing Terrorism

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Fincen · snapshot 2023-11-14

FinCEN. 2023-11-14. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: READOUT: FinCEN Joins Harvard Kennedy School Event on the Role of Cryptocurrency in Financing Terrorism | FinCEN.gov Skip to main content An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know Here’s how you know The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site. The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provid…

Press release: FinCEN Sees Increase in BSA Reporting Involving CVC for Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Human Trafficking

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Fincen · snapshot 2024-02-13

FinCEN. 2024-02-13. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: FinCEN Sees Increase in BSA Reporting Involving the Use of Convertible Virtual Currency for Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Human Trafficking | FinCEN.gov Skip to main content An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know Here’s how you know The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site. The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official…

Press release: Treasury Takes Coordinated Actions Against Illicit Russian Virtual Currency Exchanges (PM2BTC, Cryptex)

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Fincen · snapshot 2024-09-26

FinCEN/Treasury. 2024-09-26. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: Treasury Takes Coordinated Actions Against Illicit Russian Virtual Currency Exchanges and Cybercrime Facilitator | FinCEN.gov Skip to main content An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know Here’s how you know The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site. The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information y…

Press release: FinCEN Finds Cambodia-Based Huione Group to be of Primary Money Laundering Concern

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Fincen · snapshot 2025-05-01

FinCEN. 2025-05-01. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: FinCEN Finds Cambodia-Based Huione Group to be of Primary Money Laundering Concern, Proposes a Rule to Combat Cyber Scams and Heists | FinCEN.gov Skip to main content An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know Here’s how you know The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site. The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and th…

Press release: FinCEN Issues Notice on the Use of CVC Kiosks for Scam Payments

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Fincen · snapshot 2025-08-04

FinCEN. 2025-08-04. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: FinCEN Issues Notice on the Use of Convertible Virtual Currency Kiosks for Scam Payments and Other Illicit Activity | FinCEN.gov Skip to main content An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know Here’s how you know The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site. The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any informatio…

Readout: FinCEN Exchange on digital assets innovation and fraud (held July 15, 2025)

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Fincen · snapshot 2025-08-06

FinCEN. 2025-08-06. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: READOUT: FinCEN Convenes Public-Private Partnership to Promote Innovation and Address Fraud and Scam Risks in the Digital Assets Ecosystem | FinCEN.gov Skip to main content An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know Here’s how you know The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site. The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website…

Press release: Treasury Issues Request for Comment Related to the GENIUS Act

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Fincen · snapshot 2025-08-18

FinCEN/Treasury. 2025-08-18. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: Treasury Issues Request for Comment Related to the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act | FinCEN.gov Skip to main content An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know Here’s how you know The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site. The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that…

Press release: Treasury Seeks Public Comment on Implementation of the GENIUS Act

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Fincen · snapshot 2025-09-19

FinCEN/Treasury. 2025-09-19. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: Treasury Seeks Public Comment on Implementation of the GENIUS Act | FinCEN.gov Skip to main content An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know Here’s how you know The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site. The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securel…

Press release: FinCEN Issues Final Rule Severing Huione Group from the U.S. Financial System

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Fincen · snapshot 2025-10-14

FinCEN. 2025-10-14. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: FinCEN Issues Final Rule Severing Huione Group from the U.S. Financial System | FinCEN.gov Skip to main content An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know Here’s how you know The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site. The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmi…