Australian Regulators Investigating Banks for Closing Accounts of Bitcoin Companies
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has confirmed the launch of a formal investigation about the abrupt termination of banking support for many bitcoin companies in the country. "It appears to me to be an amazing coincidence that a number of large banks have all of a sudden decided to deny services to fledgling Bitcoin and digital currency....
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The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is investigating why some Australian banks are closing bitcoin business bank accounts, according to the Australian Financial Review. The Australian Financial Review previously reported that 17 bitcoin companies in Australia received letters from banks saying they planned to close their accounts. Nationals Senator Matthew Canavan asked the ACCC to investigate the matter. Rod Sims, chairman of ACCC, said banks have been asked to explain their actions. He said the commission is also asking the banks what contact they had with each....
Australian banks have advised Australian bitcoin companies they are closing their accounts, according to The Australian Financial Review. The publication has seen the letters from Westpac Banking Corporation and Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Ron Tucker, chairman of The Australian Digital Currency Commerce Association, said all large Australian banks were shutting the door on bitcoin companies. The banks sent letters to Australian bitcoin exchanges, including Bit Trade and Buyabitcoin. The letters said the banks will close the exchanges' accounts and did not give any explanation. At least....
Banks in Australia have mixed feelings about Bitcoin and its related services. On September 21, 2015, Banks in the region sent letters to Australian Bitcoin exchanges letting them know their accounts will cease with no explanation to why. According to the The Australian Financial Review, 17 native Bitcoin businesses have received letters, with 13 of them....
An Australian bitcoin trader has filed a lawsuit against two of the country’s biggest commercial banks, accusing them of systematic discrimination when they closed his accounts on short notice. Allan Flynn is demanding compensation of AU$250,000 ($193,000) from ANZ and Westpac banks for closing his accounts immediately after they had been opened, the Australian Financial Review reported on Jan. 18. Flynn, who operates a registered bitcoin (BTC) exchange, has started proceedings against both banks at the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal. The trader alleges he is the victim of....
National Australia Bank and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia will be taking part in a joint project led by global financial innovation firm R3 to design protocols based on blockchain technology at the same time as the ACCC has begun investigating the banks for closing the accounts of Bitcoin businesses last month. Australia’s two of the largest banks, National Australia Bank and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, will join R3, which includes 20 other major banking groups including HSBC and Citigroup, to explore the underlying technology of bitcoin and its uses to optimize and improve....