SEC

Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase is seeking permission to file an amicus brief supporting Ripple Labs in its legal battle with a top federal regulator.  The company argues that the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) lawsuit against Ripple is unprincipled, and violates due process. Coinbase’s Defense for Ripple Per the amicus brief dated Monday, Coinbase claims the SEC did not provide fair notice that Ripple’s conduct was illegal, prior to suing the firm. An amicus curiae is a third party that isn’t…

Two of America’s top financial regulators may not see eye-to-eye on Ether’s legal status.  Rostin Benham – Chairman of the Commodities and Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) – reiterated on Monday that he views the asset as a commodity. However, he claims Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chairman Gary Gensler may think otherwise. Ether: Commodity or Security? The debate surrounding Ether will ultimately determine which agency has regulatory jurisdiction over the asset. Benham’s position aligns with what would give his agency…

Cryptocurrency becomes more attractive for investment as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) becomes more strict, per a recent study. As it showed, investors are now feeling more optimistic about Bitcoin’s price outlook heading into the end of the year. The Bright Side of Regulation The survey, conducted by MLIV Pulse, garnered 544 responses from different mark participants. Nearly 60% of the investors viewed the commission’s recent legal actions as a positive for crypto as an asset class. The SEC…

Ripple – the blockchain technology company behind XRP – is seeking dismissal of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s 2020 lawsuit against the firm. It claims that XRP does not constitute an “investment contract”, and thus cannot be called unregistered security.  Can Ripple End the Lawsuit? As reported by BNN Bloomberg, Ripple’s weekend filing claims XRP investors do not have rights, and that Ripple is not required to act in their interests. It cited a lack of documents imposing such…

Major exchange Binance appears unbothered by the stiff opposition it has received in its bid to expand to the Philippines. In a recent interview, the company’s Asia-Pacific executive Leon Foong expressed their eagerness to start operations in the region.  Binance Isn’t Focused on “Lobbying Bodies” Earlier this month, the Philippine Securities and Exchanges Commission (SEC) issued a warning about Binance to the public. The regulators advised residents against using the platform’s services. This came as a response to complaints from policy…

Days after halting withdrawals, Thailand-based crypto exchange platform Zipmex has now filed for a moratorium protection. The filing makes the exchange the latest in a series of failing platforms seeking court protection from their creditors. Zipmex Freezes Withdrawals, Files for Extra Time About a week ago, Zipmex shared the news that it was freezing user withdrawals “until further notice.” At the time, the platform cited unstable market conditions and financial difficulties with a few partner companies. They promised that a…

Gary Gensler – Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission – recently outlined the investment risks associated with crypto trading platforms. He said they resemble the structure and function of stock exchanges, and ought to be regulated in the same manner.  In a video posted Thursday, Gensler explained that crypto platforms, like stock markets, bring buyers and sellers together. Millions of customers regularly trade on such platforms without operating through a broker.  As such, he argues that crypto platforms should…

Cathie Wood’s fund management firm Ark Invest has let go of 1.4M of its Coinbase shares. News of this emerged via the firm’s daily trade data release earlier today. Wood Offloads 1.4M Shares Ark is Coinbase’s third-biggest shareholder with COIN holdings nearing 9 million as of late last month. A Bloomberg release revealed that with this liquidation the company conducted its first COIN dump this year. Ark sold the shares in a $75M deal involving 3 of its operational exchange-traded…

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is investigating whether Coinbase allows customers to trade unregistered securities. Bloomberg reported on July 26, citing three people familiar with the matter. Allegedly, the regulator started looking into Coinbase’s operations after the exchange listed new tokens. At the moment, Coinbase lets Americans trade over 150 crypto tokens. Should the investigation find that some of these tokens are securities, Coinbase could have to register with the SEC. However, Coinbase Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal…