WASHINGTON, Feb 11 — US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen during a roundtable discussion said the misuse of cryptocurrencies for criminal activity and terrorism is a growing issue, reported Sputnik news agency.
“The misuse of cryptocurrencies and virtual assets is a growing problem, too,” Yellen said on Wednesday. “I see the promise of these new technologies, but I also see the reality: cryptocurrencies have been used to launder the profits of online drug traffickers; they’ve been a tool to finance terrorism.”
Earlier this week, the price of Bitcoin hit a record high on news that Tesla invested US$1.5 billion (RM6.07 billion) in the digital currency.
Yellen made her remarks at the US Financial Sector Innovation Policy Roundtable event this week that brought together policymakers, regulators, and experts from the private sector to discuss important global financial issues.
Earlier on Wednesday, the European police agency Europol said ten hackers have been arrested in an international investigation into a series of sim-swapping attacks that stole US$100 million (RM404.5 million) in cryptocurrencies from celebrities in the United States.
— Bernama
