James Cirrone

Deloitte and Chainalysis will become strategic partners in a bid to boost crypto compliance among their shared clients, Chainalysis revealed in a <a href="https://blog.chainalysis.com/reports/deloitte-and-chainalysis-alliance/">statement</a> Tuesday.



Chainalysis told Blockworks the partnership has been in the works for “several years” and will “serve US public sector customers and financial institutions.”&nbsp;



Both Deloitte and Chainalysis declined to offer up specific clients that will benefit from this partnership.



Mutual clients of the two companies can now use Chainalysis’ blockchain dataset, analytics software, and training program, while also taking advantage of Deloitte’s services to manage forensic, investigative and compliance programs, according to the press release.



Deloitte’s <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/kz/en/pages/strategy-operations/solutions/blockchain-services-and-solutions.html">website</a> said the Big Four firm offers “blockchain services” to its clients. One thing its consultants help with is “defining blockchain goals and objectives,” while also accelerating the building of customers’ “blockchain prototypes.”



Chainalysis will work alongside Deloitte’s digital assets outfit to update clients on risk management, anti-money laundering and know-your-customer (AML/KYC) requirements, and regulatory compliance, among other things.&nbsp;



Chainalysis’ president and chief revenue officer, Thomas Stanley, said the collaboration between his firm and Deloitte on crypto compliance is poised to significantly aid law enforcement efforts.



“For law enforcement agencies, regulators, and financial ecosystem players across the nation, the alliance offers new, collaborative solutions that help identify transformation gaps, accelerate mission success at enterprise scale, and mitigate risk while increasing revenue,” Stanley said in a statement.&nbsp;



<a href="https://blockworks.co/news/deloitte-crypto-hiring-spree">Deloitte has recently signaled increased broader interest in crypto</a>, listing over 300 roles in April 2023 that had to do with digital assets, cryptocurrency tax implications, and even NFTs.



Native crypto firms are also interested in the services Deloitte can provide, with USDC issuer <a href="https://blockworks.co/news/circle-taps-deloitte-as-new-auditor-doubles-down-on-proof-of-reserves">Circle hiring the accounting giant to audit its proof of reserves in January 2023</a>.



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Deloitte, Chainalysis partner up in quest to achieve crypto compliance

Ben Strack

Riot Platforms is looking to switch accounting firms as the landscape for crypto company auditors remains in flux.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The bitcoin mining company “dismissed” its previous accounting firm Marcum on May 18, appointing Deloitte to take its place.



Marcum had audited <a href="https://blockworks.co/tag/riot-blockchain">Riot</a>’s consolidated financial statements for the fiscal years between 2018 and 2022. <a href="https://blockworks.co/tag/deloitte">Deloitte</a> is set to act as the mining company’s independent registered public accounting firm for 2023.



The change was “not as a result of any disagreement on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or audit scope or procedure,” according to a regulatory <a href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1167419/000114036123026648/ny20007472x4_defr14a.htm">filing</a>.&nbsp;



Spokespeople for Riot and Marcum did not immediately return requests for comment.&nbsp;



A stockholder vote on the change — not required by law to ratify the decision, but proposed “as a matter of good corporate practice” — is slated for June 27, the filing adds.&nbsp;



The auditor change comes as crypto companies have expressed that some large accounting firms are hesitant to offer them auditing services.&nbsp;



Mazars Group, whose clients included Crypto.com and Binance, <a href="https://blockworks.co/news/crypto-auditors-call-it-quits">reportedly suspended work with crypto firms</a> in December.&nbsp;



A Binance spokesperson told Blockworks at the time that a “Big Four” accounting firm — considered to be Deloitte, Ernst &amp; Young (EY), PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and KPMG — were “currently unwilling” to conduct a proof-of-reserves audit for a private crypto company.



Crypto.com declined to comment on which firm it now uses as an auditor, while Binance did not immediately return a request for comment.&nbsp;



Accounting firm Armanino was also reportedly pausing work within the crypto industry in December. The company had conducted multiple proof-of-reserves audits for crypto exchange Kraken in 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Kraken did not return a request for comment.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



A Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2023-05-15/some-popular-crypto-companies-lack-boards-audits-despite-ftx-s-fall">survey</a> of 24 crypto companies last week found 46% of them had their full financial audits completed by a “Big Four” firm.



Three firms reported receiving auditing services from Marcum. Coinbase, Circle and Ripple are among the industry players that receive annual audits from Deloitte.



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Bitcoin Miner Riot Dumps Auditor for ‘Big Four’ Accounting Firm

Shalini Nagarajan

Companies across crypto are more determined than ever to hire experts and hold onto top talent after a brutal year.



With a long-term vision of the industry’s potential, many firms (even non-crypto natives) are looking to expand their services by bringing in crypto, decentralized finance and blockchain specialists.



All this while industries around the world, especially the tech sector, have been hit with wave after wave of layoffs. Many skilled workers are left searching for their next move.&nbsp;



Here are some companies that have several crypto and blockchain-related job openings:



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Bitget</h2>



Crypto exchange Bitget doubled its workforce to 1,300 in the last year. It says it built its business strategy with potential negative scenarios in mind.



The company is ambitiously expanding into emerging markets like Africa and Latin America, providing exciting opportunities for local experts. With regional centers already established in Asia and Latin America, it’s now eyeing talented individuals to join the team.&nbsp;



Currently, more than 36 open job positions are listed on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/search/?currentJobId=3569715892&amp;f_C=69884978&amp;geoId=92000000&amp;keywords=bitget&amp;location=Worldwide&amp;refresh=true">LinkedIn</a>, but a representative for the firm said 300 positions are open with a major focus on user experience, compliance and Web3 careers.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Wintermute</h2>



Wintermute is an algorithmic trading firm that provides liquidity to crypto markets.&nbsp;



It also provides market-making services and teams up with exchanges and other market participants to boost liquidity into the crypto ecosystem.&nbsp;



Recruitment platform <a href="https://jobs.lever.co/wintermute-trading">Lever</a> shows the firm has at least 15 open job postings based in London and Singapore.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sky Mavis</h2>



Axie Infinity creator Sky Mavis is on the lookout for top-notch experts in game development, blockchain engineering and marketing to join their team.&nbsp;



The video game developer has nearly 30 open positions in Vietnam, Singapore and the US, according to hiring platform <a href="https://apply.workable.com/sky-mavis/?lng=en">Workable</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Uniswap</h2>



Uniswap, Ethereum’s top decentralized exchange, is one of the most popular DeFi protocols.&nbsp;



Since 2018, the platform has serviced the crypto ecosystem with a user-friendly dapp for token swaps.&nbsp;



Uniswap is currently on the hunt for talented individuals who can help them stay ahead of the curve, and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/uniswap-labs-jobs-worldwide/?currentJobId=3584657543">LinkedIn</a> shows at least 12 open job positions in engineering-based roles.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">MultiversX (formerly Elrond)</h2>



Blockchain platform MultiverseX, which rebranded from Elrond in late 2022, is eager to keep building out metaverse infrastructure.



MultiverseX is looking to expand its ecosystem and forge new partnerships, which means exciting career opportunities for professionals with expertise in blockchain development.&nbsp;



The firm’s <a href="https://multiversx.com/careers">website</a> shows at least 15 open positions in backend and frontend development, business development, marketing and UI/UX design.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Deloitte</h2>



Multinational professional services firm <a href="https://blockworks.co/tag/deloitte" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Deloitte</a> provides services including consulting, audit, tax and advisory services to clients across industries.



It’s known for its expertise in financial and risk management and digital transformation. The ‘Big Four’ auditor currently has <a href="https://blockworks.co/news/deloitte-crypto-hiring-spree">331 open job positions</a> on LinkedIn, including tax advisory services.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">EY</h2>



Fellow accounting giant EY similarly offers consultancy services like audit, tax compliance, transaction advisory and performance improvement.&nbsp;



The company has an extensive selection of job openings for blockchain-related positions in China, Hong Kong, the US and Spain, as stated on its <a href="https://careers.ey.com/ey/search/?q=blockchain&amp;startrow=25">website</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Ripple</h2>



San Francisco-based Ripple, the blockchain tech company that constantly makes headlines about its <a href="https://blockworks.co/news/sec-court-win-weakens-ripple-argument">ongoing legal battle with the SEC</a> over <a href="https://blockworks.co/price/xrp">XRP</a>, has strategically expanded into the Asian market, particularly in Japan, South Korea and Thailand.&nbsp;



It currently has more than <a href="https://ripple.com/careers/all-jobs/">55 open job listings</a> in Toronto, San Francisco, Bangalore, London and Singapore.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Coinbase</h2>



Coinbase is also in <a href="https://blockworks.co/news/coinbase-warns-sec-litigation">hot water with the SEC</a> over potential violations of securities laws.&nbsp;



But that hasn’t stopped the top US crypto exchange from wanting to grow, as the company has almost <a href="https://www.coinbase.com/careers/positions">60 job listings</a> up for grabs — and many of them are in engineering.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Binance</h2>



Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange by trade volume, recently got into trouble for failing to register properly with US financial authorities.&nbsp;



However, the crypto exchange still has over <a href="https://www.binance.com/en/careers/job-openings">380 job listings</a> up for grabs in locations around the world.&nbsp;



A bunch of the open roles are in legal and compliance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How to break into the Web3 job market</h2>



It’s good to know which skills are in high demand. Front-end wizards with a knack for HTML, CSS and JavaScript are a hot commodity, according to Tyler Feinerman, global head of talent at crypto-focused comms agency Wachsman.



And those who can navigate the complex world of Solidity, Node.js, Python, Go, Rust and Scala are worth their weight in bitcoin.



User experience developers are also some of the most sought-after candidates in the industry right now. Many companies — both Web2 and Web3 — have realized clunky interfaces turn away many users.



“As the industry gets progressively crowded, user experience has become a differentiator for crypto-native companies and corporations venturing into the space,” Feinerman said.



She warned that some companies may be struggling to identify and properly evaluate talent, and may end up overlooking star candidates in the process.



So, ready to take the plunge? Don’t let fear of the unknown hold you back.



“The reality is, we are all learning and we are still only at the very beginning. Dive in head-first, accept that there will be a steep learning curve and embrace the inevitable challenges along the way, because it is genuinely such an exciting space to be part of,” Feinerman said.



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No Bear Market for Crypto Talent: These 10 Companies Are Hiring Now

Recent activity on LinkedIn and Google Jobs suggests that Deloitte is on the prowl for crypto natives to join its ranks.&nbsp;



A search on LinkedIn for crypto jobs based in the US spits out 331 available roles at <a href="https://blockworks.co/tag/deloitte" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Deloitte</a>, with virtually all of them posted a week ago. The same LinkedIn search for crypto-related listings at the other “Big Four” accounting firms — Ernst &amp; Young, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers — have zero results. 



Crypto-related titles at Deloitte include:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Blockchain &amp; Digital Assets Manager — position available in 97 US locations</li>



<li>Tax Manager, Blockchain &amp; Cryptocurrency — position available in 18 US locations</li>



<li>Tax Manager, Blockchain &amp; Cryptocurrency in NFTs — position available in three US locations</li>
</ul>



This comes as Deloitte signals its continued readiness to work with crypto firms. Blockworks reported in January 2023 that <a href="https://blockworks.co/news/circle-taps-deloitte-as-new-auditor-doubles-down-on-proof-of-reserves">Circle hired Deloitte to audit its proof-of-reserves</a>. Just a month earlier, all of <a href="https://blockworks.co/news/crypto-auditors-call-it-quits">the “Big Four” firms were “unwilling”</a> to conduct this type of audit for a private crypto company.



In the listing for “Blockchain &amp; Digital Assets Manager,” Deloitte tells applicants that they will be leading teams to provide audit readiness for blockchain and digital asset transactions. Additionally, the post says that applicants will design governance models, identify new risks and evaluate blockchain reliability.



There are several crossover listings on Deloitte’s website, and for now it is unclear if these positions that it seeks to fill were advertised previously. Blockworks has reached out to Deloitte for comment and has not received an immediate response.



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Deloitte Could Be Jumping Into Crypto Headfirst With Hundreds of Job Listings

Casey Wagner

Circle, the company behind the USDC stablecoin, released its “state of the USDC economy” report, in which it emphasized the importance of dollar-backed cryptos and attempted to ease worries about the state of its reserves. 



“Our history of pioneering transparency underscores our commitment to providing USDC holders and the general public with open, timely reporting on how we minimize risk and maintain liquidity in the USDC reserve,” Circle said in the <a href="https://6778953.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/6778953/PDFs/2301StateofUSDCEconomy_Web.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a>, released Tuesday. 



Circle said it will now partner with Deloitte, Coinbase’s accounting firm of choice, for audits on its proof of reserves. A Binance spokesperson told Blockworks in December they were under the impression the “Big Four” accounting firms — known to be Deloitte, Ernst &amp; Young, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers — were <a href="https://blockworks.co/news/crypto-auditors-call-it-quits">“currently unwilling”</a> to conduct a proof-of-reserves audit for a private crypto company. 



Circle, while currently privately held, was considering entry into the public market through a special purpose acquisition partnership (SPAC) with Concord before <a href="https://blockworks.co/news/circle-kills-spac-plans">abandoning its plans</a> last month in the wake of the FTX collapse. 



“We are disappointed the proposed transaction timed out, however, becoming a public company remains part of Circle’s core strategy to enhance trust and transparency, which has never been more important,” Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire said in a <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/circle-and-concord-acquisition-corp-mutually-agree-to-terminate-proposed-business-combination-301694560.html?tc=eml_cleartime" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">statement</a> at the time of the announcement.



Circle, who for years partnered with firm Grant Thornton for its audits, makes the switch as various accounting firms have exercised caution over audits of crypto companies.&nbsp;



Mazars Group and Armanino <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilymason/2022/12/15/ftx-accounting-firm-armanino-ends-crypto-audit-practice/?sh=54b386bd362f" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reportedly</a> dropped <a href="https://blockworks.co/news/ftx-auditor-proof-of-reserves">their crypto clients</a> last month. Mazars, which handled proof-of-reserves audits for exchanges KuCoin, Binance and Crypto.com, elected to stop providing the services because of “concerns regarding the way these reports are understood by the public,” according to <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/16/mazars-suspends-all-work-with-crypto-clients-including-binance-cryptocom.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Regulating USDC Reserves</h3>



Circle’s report comes as the industry continues to wait for more regulatory guidance from Congress, which <a href="https://blockworks.co/news/stablecoin-regulation-congress-priority">will likely come to the stablecoin sector first</a>, experts said.&nbsp;



“The first Congressional focus point will no doubt be stablecoins,” Katherine Dowling, general counsel and CCO at Bitwise Asset Management, told Blockworks last week.&nbsp;



Stablecoin regulation, namely about reserve reporting and liquidity requirements, has been a long time coming, Dowling said, pointing to the <a href="https://blockworks.co/news/bipartisan-stablecoin-regulation-has-a-slim-chance-of-passing-this-year">bipartisan bill lawmakers failed to pass</a> last session. With much of the legwork already done, Dowling said stablecoin legislation has the potential to be an early win for Congressional members looking to solidify some sort of crypto policy.



“Regardless of where members of congress are on the crypto spectrum — pro or con — or on the learning curve, there is a general sense that something must be done here,” Dowling said.&nbsp;



Allaire agreed, noting in the report that Circle is prepared on a regulatory front and is watching developments closely.&nbsp;



“Policymakers globally are sharpening their focus, ushering in much-needed regulation for how trusted digital currencies can be supervised — in a consistent and harmonized manner — by banking and payments regulators,” Allaire wrote.



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Circle Taps Deloitte as New Auditor, Doubles Down on Proof of Reserves 

<div id="highlights-block_630f30b53f339" class="highlights">
 <ul>
 <li>The World Intellectual Property Organization said the disputed name is simply an abbreviation of the crypto firm’s service</li>
 <li>Still, privacy-focused crypto startup DKYC is now rebranding its website to “ShadowFi” </li>
 </ul>
 
</div>



Crypto startup Don’t Know Your Customer has managed to avoid a cybersquatting complaint put forth by accounting giant Deloitte over its domain name.



Deloitte offers a service for Know-Your-Customer operations called <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/lu/en/pages/financial-advisory/solutions/deloitte-kyc.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DKYC</a>, which involves due diligence via document collection. 



But the mega-firm took issue with web design firm Penultimate Media Systems registering a version of that name as <a href="https://dontkyc.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dontkyc.com</a> for its crypto client — a startup offering prepaid cards pitched as a way to spend certain Binance Chain tokens in the real-world without having to disclose personal information.



A recent <a href="https://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/decisions/pdf/2022/d2022-1775.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">decision</a> by the World Intellectual Property Organization, shared by <a href="https://domainnamewire.com/2022/08/30/crypto-company-defeats-deloitte-in-cybersquatting-dispute/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Domain Name Wire</a>, showed Deloitte failed to establish that the disputed name was used by the crypto firm illicitly, highlighting that the domain name is not dkyc.com, but dontkyc.com.



The issue for Deloitte was that the domain name is “highly similar” to its trademark and that the crypto firm offered financial services under its identical “DKYC” sign, according to the document. It also noted the crypto firm does not identify as an active company or provide a valid postal address on its website.



Deloitte argued that the crypto startup had made multiple references with fraudulent intentions to “DKYC,” but not using “dontkyc” — which is reflected in the disputed domain name.&nbsp;



The domain owner was accommodating in turn, saying it’s ready to modify branding and change references to “DKYC” if that would help the case. It claimed to have searched the US Patent and Trademark Office for the disputed domain name prior to registration with no results. It later learned DKYC was registered in other territories.



The <a href="https://dontkyc.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">website</a>, as of Wednesday, showed DKYC is rebranding to “ShadowFi.&#8221; The startup describes itself as a small community-based non-profit token operating on the Binance Smart Chain, promising an absence of KYC measures in order to ensure privacy. “Our vendor doesn’t know who we are, and we don’t know who you are. No ID required. Ever,” states its website.



WIPO’s sole panelist Adam Taylor said Deloitte still has the option to take the crypto firm to court for infringement of intellectual property rights, if it believes there is sufficient ground to do so.



Representatives for Deloitte, DKYC and Penultimate Media didn’t return Blockworks’ request for comment by press time.



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Crypto Startup Clashes With Deloitte Over Domain — And Wins

<div id="highlights-block_61539480a79cf" class="highlights">
 <ul>
 <li>The governing body that oversees credit unions in the US is looking into how to regulate digital assets </li>
 <li>Credit unions have made it clear that they want regulatory clarity that allows them to participate in digital assets </li>
 </ul>
 
</div>



The National Credit Union Administration asked for opinions on how to approach digital assets, and credit unions said they are ready for a seat at the table.&nbsp;



The NCUA, an independent federal agency responsible for overseeing the United States’ roughly 6,000 federally insured credit unions, issued their formal <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/07/27/2021-15948/request-for-information-and-comment-on-digital-assets-and-related-technologies">request for information</a> (RFI) about how financial institutions can and will interact with cryptocurrencies on September 23.



Credit unions are not-for-profit financial institutions that provide basic financial services for their members including the provision of credit and deposit accounts. In the US, credit unions control more than $1.8 trillion in assets. 



The deadline for submission of reports from interested parties was September 27. In response to the RFI, Deloitte, The National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions (NAFCU) and Visions Federal Credit Union <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/comment/NCUA-2021-0102-0019">submitted</a> comments for consideration.&nbsp;



“There is growing evidence that Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), Digital Assets, and other related technologies can enable revolutionary efficiencies in the delivery of payments, banking, and other financial services,” Deloitte wrote in its <a href="https://t.co/VnrpTVOeFU?amp=1">comment</a>.&nbsp;



<a href="https://cms.blockworks.co/blockworks-launches-permissionless-the-worlds-largest-defi-conference/">Decentralized finance (DeFi)</a> offerings have increased in the last year, Deloitte mentioned, pointing to the growth of exchanges and products, including collateralized lending and stablecoins. Stablecoin circulation has grown to over $100 billion, with many transactions costing less than one cent, Deloitte’s comment noted, but regulatory clarity is needed. 



“However, this more competitive landscape for financial services assumes enhancements to regulation that would bring DeFi applications out of the financial shadows and allow them to interoperate with existing financial infrastructure within the banking system,” Deloitte’s comment read.&nbsp;



NAFCU and Visions acknowledged digital assets’ immense growth, and also called for immediate action on the regulatory front that would allow credit unions to get involved in the space.&nbsp;



“The present regulatory uncertainty results in individual credit unions suffering millions of dollars in net share account outflows to largely unregulated, opaque entities and members being exposed to substantial risks that can be better monitored, assessed, and resolved by credit unions,” NAFCU wrote in its comment.&nbsp;



Both NAFCU and Visions requested that the NCUA “promptly issue a letter to credit unions” allowing them to participate in the crypto ecosystem. 



“Visions asks that NCUA promptly issue a letter to credit unions confirming that we can directly, or in partnership with a third-party vendor, host a digital wallet capable of facilitating a member’s buying, holding, or selling of digital assets, most especially bitcoin,” the credit union wrote in its comment.&nbsp;



The credit unions also asked for permission to partake in a range of other crypto activities, including staking, collateralized lending, and offering debit and credit cards backed by digital assets.&nbsp;



In March 2021, NCUA Vice Chairman Kyle Hauptman first called for the agency to take after the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), which oversees US banks, and take a greater stance on cryptocurrency regulation, particularly with regard to stablecoins.&nbsp;



“NCUA may want to look at the actions taken by another regulator, the OCC,” Hauptman said during a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4l-O4J0R_mM">speech</a> in March. “Stablecoins, as you may know, are cryptocurrencies designed to minimize price volatility, and the OCC’s guidance moves the U.S. closer to the real-time payment systems already used in other countries.”



The NCUA’s next board meeting is scheduled for October 21, when it is expected that regulators will review submitted comments.&nbsp;