Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies are now priorities for the Central Bank of Brazil; Understand

Cryptocurrencies and the largest asset on the market, Bitcoin (BTC), have become priorities for the Central Bank of Brazil. As indicated in a recently released Institution document, Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies were added to the BC Regulation Board’s list of priorities for this year.

The Central Bank, responsible for regulating the digital assets market in Brazil, should act with a focus on virtual assets in the foreign exchange and international capital markets, as well as carry out an analysis regarding the need for regulation in the processes involving the issuance of tokens.

In its document, the regulator highlighted in the list of priorities: Virtual assets in the foreign exchange and international capital markets: Regulate the use of virtual assets in foreign exchange operations and for international capital; Exposure to virtual assets: Adjust the prudential framework to incorporate the treatment of exposure to virtual assets; Virtual Asset Service Providers – PSAV: Regulate virtual asset service providers
(operational and authorizations); Tokenization: Study on the need for regulation in the processes of
issuance/bookkeeping and trading of tokenized assets.

Within the prioritized issues, the Brazilian regulator also demonstrated concerns about the use and regulation of Artificial Intelligence (AI), highlighting two topics: Innovation: Improving the inspection model by financial institutions regarding technological innovations such as the use of satellite images and monitoring using artificial intelligence; Artificial intelligence: Study on the risks and impacts of the use of AI by financial institutions, such as conduct risk and model risk.

It is worth remembering that, in December, the Central Bank (BC) of Brazil announced decisive measures to regulate the cryptocurrency market in the country and, in doing so, aims to discourage the use of “pirate” brokers that operate outside national borders. The initiative was revealed during a live broadcast conducted by the BC, addressing the regulation of the crypto market, a responsibility that the entity assumed with the entry into force of the Cryptocurrency Law (Law 14,478/2022).

Antônio Marcos Guimarães, consultant at the Central Bank’s Financial System Regulation Department, highlighted that one of the institution’s main concerns is regulating cryptocurrency brokers based offshore, but which provide services to Brazilians. To this end, the BC is studying approaches adopted by other countries, such as the United States and the United Kingdom.

Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed by the author, or anyone mentioned in this article, are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial, investment or other advice. Investing in or trading cryptocurrencies carries a risk of financial loss.