Top Headlines

Bitcoin Spikes After G20 Expresses No Desire for Crypto Oversight – Bloomberg

Bitcoin is rallying after the Group of 20 nations steered clear of calling for a coordinated clampdown on the cryptocurrency market.

The World’s Finance Chiefs Are Fretting About Cryptocurrencies – Bloomberg

This time last year, finance chiefs from the world’s biggest economies were barely thinking about the niche industry of Bitcoin when they met in Germany. Now, they’re loudly warning cryptos could destabilize financial markets.

Dollar Pulls Back from Three-Week High as Investors Turn to Fed – Reuters

The dollar pulled back from three-week highs as traders took some profits ahead of the Federal Reserve’s first expected rate rise of 2018 and focused on whether the central bank will indicate three or four hikes for this year.

Mnuchin Resists Pressure From G20 Partners as US Tariffs Loom – Bloomberg

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin gave no ground on trade to policy makers from the world’s largest economies, saying America’s message was “loud and clear” on protecting its interests.

Pound Rises After Better Than Expected UK Wage Data – Financial Times (subscription)

Sterling climbed to $1.4058 after UK average weekly earnings grew faster than expected in the three months to January.

Salmon Steps Down from Bank of England, GFXC – Profit & Loss

Chris Salmon, executive director, markets, at the Bank of England and chair of the Global Foreign Exchange Committee (GFXC) is stepping down to pursue an opportunity in the private sector.

Brussels to Offer City Market Access – But on EU’s Terms – Financial Times (subscription)

The EU is to promise the City of London “appropriate” market access after Brexit, but only on terms dictated by the union, in a guarded overture to the UK’s valuable financial sector.

Regulatory News

Senate to House: Don’t Risk Upending Deal on Dodd-Frank Rollback – Wall Street Journal (subscription)

House is weighing changes to bill that passed Senate with bipartisan support.

Treasury May Place Cryptocurrency Addresses on Sanctions List – Wall Street Journal (subscription)

The US Treasury Department said it may start adding cryptocurrency addresses to its sanctions lists if officials can tie them to a blacklisted person.

Has the Cryptocoin Market Met Its Match in the SEC? – Wall Street Journal (subscription)

Regulators looking into potentially widespread violations in cryptocurrency markets have taken a bite out of the once-soaring investor demand for token deals.

MiFID II Unbundling to Spread Globally – Markets Media

The global adoption of unbundling requirements that cover the European Union is expected to continue over the next 12 to 18 month as investment firms use the opportunity to cut spending.

Company News

Eurex Delays OTC FX Clearing to April – FOW (subscription)

The clearing house had earlier planned to introduce the service at the end of March.

P&L Talk Series with CoVenture’s Ali Hamed & Nikhil Kalghatgi – Profit & Loss (subscription)

CoVenture operates a venture capital firm, a direct lending business, and CoVenture Crypto, a cryptocurrency asset management firm run by co-founders Ali Hamed and Nikhil Kalghatgi.

Meet the ‘Flash Boys’ of Cryptocurrency Looking to Shakeup Bitcoin Futures Trading – Business Insider

EverMarkets is gunning for the bitcoin derivatives business of CME and Cboe Global Markets.

Market Savvy

After Dollar’s Jarring Plunge, Traders Face a 2018 Straitjacket – Bloomberg

Foreign-exchange investors who grew accustomed to a one-way dollar trade over the past year suddenly face a new challenge: a sideways market.

Well That’s One Reason to Buy Yen… – Financial Times (subscription)

A new note from Bilal Hafeez, who runs G10 FX strategy at Nomura, implies that the recent news out of Facebook is a reason to buy yen. Yes, really.