Quantcast

Crypto lawyer: 'I have a little bit of beef with traditional financial institutions'

EU revises growth downwards to 0.9% in 2025, weighed down by Donald Trump's customs duties
United Kingdom: Crypto firms will have to report all customer transactions
Ethereum on the brink of an incredible surge? This expert's bold prediction
American Bitcoin, BTC Miner Backed by Eric and Donald Trump Jr, to Go Public
China and the United States Reach an Agreement – ​​What if It's Bad News for Bitcoin?
Crypto custodian BitGo secures MiCA license in Germany
Ethereum Explodes to $2,600, Surpassing the Market Valuations of Coca-Cola and Alibaba
SEC Chair Paul Atkins unveils his vision for crypto regulation as the agency charts a friendlier approach to digital assets
Coinbase's SEC Documents Reveal NY Attorney General Wanted ETH Declared Security
Bhutan launches crypto payment system for tourism with Binance Pay
Robinhood plans blockchain platform to allow trading of US securities in Europe: Bloomberg
Bad news for Bitcoin: Strategic BTC reserve plans postponed in Florida
Cryptocurrency References in SEC Files Explode to New All-Time High
Tokenized Treasuries Hit Record $4.2B Market Cap as Crypto Correction Fuels Growth
Maximizing BNB Utility on Binance: A Guide to the Benefits
FTX liquidated $1.5B in 3AC assets 2 weeks before hedge fund’s collapse
Binance recognized by Indonesian cybercrime directorate for collaborative efforts
It's the first institutional investment in the crypto exchange and the investment was made in an unnamed stablecoin, Binance said.
US CPI Inflation Drops to 2.8%: Is Bitcoin About to Explode Again?
Business founder on Binance France allegations: 'What is this madness?'
Indian authorities arrest alleged Garantex founder for US extradition
Trump’s crypto summit ‘not going to have anything on taxes’ — White House official
Bitcoin: USA could sell gold to finance its strategic BTC reserve
Lawmaker of Japanese LDP on crypto regulation: We will classify 'Crypto assets as a new asset class'
Tom Lee Predicts Market Bottom This Week, Still Sees Bitcoin Closing the Year at $150K
IMF deal to ban public sector ‘Bitcoin accumulation’ in El Salvador
Bitcoin: Michael Saylor's company pauses BTC purchases
Head of law enforcement training at Binance: We need 'a unified approach between law enforcement and industry leaders'
Bitcoin Sell-Off Could Be a Textbook 'Breakout and Retest' Play: Godbole
CEO of Binance on crypto market turbulence: 'A tactical retreat, not a reversal'
Crypto lawyer: 'I have a little bit of beef with traditional financial institutions'
Web3/Crypto
Webp irena
Irina Heaver, crypto lawyer at NeosLegal | Crypto Republique

Irina Heaver, a crypto lawyer at NeosLegal, said that banks have incurred over "$400 billion" in fines for compliance breaches and "caused the 2008 financial crisis," yet cryptocurrency is often labeled as a "scam." Heaver made this statement during her talk at Binance Blockchain Week.

"I have a little bit of beef with traditional financial institutions," said Heaver. "Banks have been breaching compliance rules and regulations for years. Just in the last 20 years, more than $400 billion of fines were imposed on banks throughout every jurisdiction. Banks caused the 2008 global financial crisis, right? And people are calling crypto projects scams or trying to give us a bad name."

According to data collected from Chainalysis and the United Nations, traditional finance accounts for over 99.97% of global money laundering activities, while cryptocurrency makes up only 0.03%.

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Crypto Republique
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

A report indicates that $300 billion is laundered annually through the United States, accounting for 15-30% of all global money laundering. In 2020 alone, approximately $227.8 million was laundered in the U.S. Furthermore, the most prominent money laundering case in the U.S. involved Wachovia Bank, which facilitated illicit transactions totaling $380 billion under the guise of a drug cartel.

The report highlights enforcement challenges, noting that only 990 offenders were recorded out of 76,538 cases, illustrating significant gaps in the prosecution and tracking of money laundering activities.

Heaver is a lawyer and partner at NeosLegal with over 20 years of experience. Since 2016, she has advised more than 250 Bitcoin, crypto, and Web3 projects, focusing on token launches, fundraising, and market expansion in Dubai/UAE. She has worked with venture capitalists (VCs), investors, governments, and regulators.

Binance Blockchain Week is a conference that brings together innovators, founders, investors, regulators, and officials to discuss the future of blockchain and Web3. The theme of this year's conference is "Momentum." According to the event's website: "Momentum propels our industry, not only taking us through challenges but also leading us to our biggest achievements."

Organizations Included in this History
More News

Changpeng Zhao, founder of Binance, said that a move for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to count bitcoin as a mortgage asset signals a shift in the American Dream.

Jul 7, 2025

Binance has announced the launch of PIXEL APR Boost Airdrop Rewards for the 11th project on BNSOL Super Stake, in collaboration with Pixels (PIXEL), a web3 game on the Ronin Network.

Jul 7, 2025

Michael Saylor, executive chairman of Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy), said that public companies increased their bitcoin holdings more rapidly than exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the second quarter.

Jul 5, 2025

CoinFlip, a global digital currency platform, has announced the launch of a new user interface for its CoinFlip Preferred service.

Jun 30, 2025

Gum Shoe, a crypto influencer, has highlighted the long wait times and high fees at Coinbase compared to better service at Binance as evidence of the need for increased competition among U.S. crypto exchanges.

Jun 23, 2025

Changpeng "CZ" Zhao, founder of Binance, said that practical education data from his Giggle Academy learning platform will connect young learners to job opportunities instead of focusing on degrees.

Jun 23, 2025