you ignore the facts.
Coinbase is registered in FINCEN as being MSB for
ALL THE USAhttp://www.fincen.gov/financial_institutions/msb/msbstateselector.htmlWhat does mean? It means they admit the fact that they are MSB in all the US. Are they licensed in all the US? No, they are not.
Let's take the
New York state. Make a search on internet: "bitcoin unlicensed money transmitter". See what you can find and then you come to comment
Before searching, I will tell you what you will see; something like :
2 year prison term for bitcoin unlicensed money transmitter Now, see
Florida : "
charged with felony violations of Florida’s law against unlicensed money transmitters — which prohibits “currency or payment instruments So, Coinbase is operating illegally New York and Florida. These are only 2 cases. But they operate illegally in many other states
The law MUST be for everybody.
"The law MUST be for everybody."
1) Yes, the Federal law is for everybody and Coinbase is registered with FINCEN.
2) State laws vary, and in some states CB
does not need anything except the Federal registration.
get to the point. Florida and New York. Are they licensed?
The point was extremely clear:
In every state (including FL and NY) they are licensed/registered with FINCEN to legally operate a MSB.
The federal requirement is met in all 50 states.
You make a confusion.
Being registered with FINCEN, it does not mean your are MSB. Anybody can "register" with them
Please read here(footer):
http://www.fincen.gov/financial_institutions/msb/msbstateselector.htmlThe inclusion of a business on the MSB Registrant Search Web page is not a recommendation, certification of legitimacy, or endorsement of the business by any government agency.
The Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), which requires money services businesses to register with the U.S. government using FinCEN, clearly states that the FinCEN registration requirement "
shall not be construed as superseding any requirement of State law relating to money transmitting businesses operating in such State".
This means that each MSB must investigate and adhere to the licensing requirements of each state that the MSB operates in. Failure to comply with state licensing requirements may lead to violation of both state law and federal law.
for example, Coinbase is a money services businesses in Florida BUT they are not licensed so they are illegal. I hope it is clear now.
I am not saying that they must go to jail. I am just saying that other people are already in jail for the exactly same business as Coinbase is doing now.