American Bar Association's Tenth Annual National Institute on Securities Fraud

Brother Can You Spare a Bitcoin?  What Risks Will the Explosion of Virtual Currency Have on Your Business, if Any?

Bitcoin and other digital currencies have sparked controversy and interest among regulators, prosecutors, investors, economists, merchants, and consumers alike.  And virtual currency increasingly appears to be becoming a tool that businesses cannot afford to ignore.  What potential do these currencies offer to merchants, payment processors, financial institutions, and other businesses?  What impact will Bitcoin have as a form of payment, a method of value transfer, an asset, and even a liability?  How will Bitcoin be treated in different contexts by the SEC, CFTC, IRS, FinCEN, and other regulatory agencies?  This panel will explore these questions and more through discussion among a diverse panel of participants from industry and government.