Sky Blog
The U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. FEC decision, along with the SpeechNow.org v. FEC court decision, reshaped the landscape of political contributions. By striking down limits on independent expenditures, these rulings opened the door to a new, opaque channel …
Sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) are now central to how nations stabilize fiscal balances, diversify assets, and project financial influence. Norway’s oil fund, Singapore’s Temasek, and the Gulf states’ investment vehicles all serve as stabilizers and strategic tools in global markets. …
On October 7, 2025, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (the “agencies”) jointly issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (“NPR”)[1] that would codify the removal of reputation risk from the agencies’ …
The backlash against environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) investing has been swift and fierce. More than 20 U.S. states have passed laws or taken administrative action targeting ESG considerations in asset management. Flows into ESG funds have slowed, and for …
The convergence of emerging financial technologies and traditional diplomatic relations has created novel challenges for legal frameworks governing digital asset regulation and conflicts of interest in government. Recent developments involving the Trump administration, United Arab Emirates (UAE) investment entities, and …
President Trump’s August 7, 2025 retirement plan Executive Order underscores the administration’s objective to make alternative assets available to defined-contribution plan participants. Below, we identify four steps the Department of Labor and the Securities and Exchange Commission should prioritize to …
There is a robust debate among policymakers on whether to impose restrictions on the incentive pay of bankers. Proponents of such restrictions point to the great financial crisis and argue that enormous compensation packages give top executives and traders at …
Global capital markets are undergoing profound transformation. Over the past decade, there has been a marked decline in Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) in most advanced economies, including those with highly developed capital markets such as the United Kingdom and the …
“Too big to fail” became a household phrase during the 2007–08 Global Financial Crisis. When giant financial institutions teetered, the government reached for ad hoc bailouts, fearing contagion and a broader economic collapse. Congress responded with the Dodd-Frank Act, which …
The world of decentralized finance (“DeFi”) recently witnessed a stark illustration of its inherent risks with the liquidation of James Wynn’s 949 BTC (valued at $99 million at the time) leveraged long position on Hyperliquid, a decentralized perpetuals …
On September 8, 2025, the Fifth Circuit issued its opinion in Ortega v. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, 2025 WL 2588495 (5th Cir. Sept. 8, 2025). Petitioners, former directors of a national bank, challenged the OCC’s …
Activist investors and blockholders are unable to restructure and turnaround poorly performing banks, making it unlikely that they can enhance bank performance and contribute to financial stability. We argue that regulation and supervision hinder the flow of information needed to …
In May 2024, a company in California suddenly made headlines across the financial press. Synapse Financial Technologies, once hailed as a pioneer in the next wave of financial innovation, filed for bankruptcy. The company had promised to revolutionize banking …
The enactment of the GENIUS Act of 2025 marks a watershed moment in American cryptocurrency regulation, establishing the first comprehensive federal framework for payment stablecoins.[1] Yet within this law lies a provision that may fundamentally reshape the balance between …
President Trump recently signed an executive order[1] (the Order) aimed at preventing the so-called practice of “debanking,” which refers to actions taken by banks and other financial services providers to restrict the ability of certain individuals, groups, or industries …
There is a venerable history of interdependence between sovereign debt and the financial system. The national banking system in the U.S. arose as a solution to fiscal challenges the Union government faced in the Civil War. A key requirement for …
President Trump entered the White House in January 2025 promising to make the United States the “Crypto Capital of the World.” The federal agencies and Congress are responding with unprecedented speed to make that a reality.
In the depth of …
On July 30, 2025, the White House released a report titled “Strengthening American Leadership in Digital Financial Technology,” which outlines the Trump administration’s proposed policy roadmap on digital assets (Report). The Report was mandated by Executive Order 14178, issued on …
Executive Summary