News & Analysis as of

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Virtual Currency Securities Regulation

A&O Shearman

SEC Declares Meme Coins Are Not “Securities” In New Statement

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On February 27, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) issued a statement to provide clarity on the application of federal securities laws to crypto assets by declaring that “meme coins” do not fall under...more

DLA Piper

Blockchain and Digital Assets News and Trends – January 2025

DLA Piper on

This periodic bulletin is designed to help companies identify important legal developments governing the use and acceptance of blockchain technology, smart contracts, and digital assets. While the use cases for blockchain...more

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP

NFTs and Securities Law Issues Are on the Rise – SEC Analysis Relies on Resale Royalties

Until fall 2023, there were few SEC enforcements or litigations involving securities issues with non-fungible tokens (“NFTs”). This has changed dramatically. In rapid succession last fall, the SEC undertook two enforcements...more

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP

NFT Legal Issues

This year, the SEC has ramped up its enforcement efforts against digital asset marketplaces for selling non-fungible tokens (“NFTs”) (and other digital assets) the agency alleges are securities. In response, some potential...more

Mayer Brown Free Writings + Perspectives

Commissioner Comments on Tokenization

Commissioner Uyeda spoke at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s 30th Annual Institute for Securities Market Growth and Development. Commissioner Uyeda focused on the need to root out bad actors and promote transparent...more

Perkins Coie

SEC Approves 11 Spot Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Products

Perkins Coie on

On January 10, the Securities and Exchange Commission gave the green light to 11 issuers that applied for bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). After a false announcement and a course change due to the ruling in Grayscale...more

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

FINRA Is Conducting a Targeted Exam of “Crypto Assets”

Riding the coattails of recent news, FINRA announced on November 14th that it is conducting a targeted exam of firm practices regarding retail communications concerning “Crypto Asset” products and services....more

Oberheiden P.C.

Tokenization Lawyer – 5 Reasons Why You Might Need One

Oberheiden P.C. on

What is Tokenization? Tokenization is the process of converting an asset into a token on the blockchain. It operates by dividing—or fractionalizing—the ownership of an asset (whether the asset is a piece of real estate or...more

Kilpatrick

Crypto Enforcement Is Here, and Always Has Been

Kilpatrick on

There are those in the crypto sphere who, despite the strong warnings of several federal agencies, believe there can be no enforcement without crypto specific regulation. This is not the case. There are also those who believe...more

Burr & Forman

Tuesday’s Rising Regulatory Chorus On Crypto

Burr & Forman on

This past Tuesday, September 21, the chorus calling for more regulation over crypto reached a sort of crescendo. The SEC - Earlier, in September 14 testimony before the Senate Banking Committee [1], former CFTC and current...more

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

SEC Chair Gensler Signals Greater Regulation of Cryptocurrency Under Existing Authorities

On Sept. 14, Gary Gensler, chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, testified before the Senate Banking Committee that the agency has authority using the existing, “broad” definition of a “security” to regulate the...more

Proskauer - The Capital Commitment

U.S. Federal Regulators Turn Up the Heat on Cryptocurrency Trading Platforms

With new types of digital assets and related business on the rise, federal authorities have been busy investigating.  Recently, the SEC, FinCEN and the CFTC have imposed some notable settlements involving cryptocurrency...more

Latham & Watkins LLP

Understanding NFTs and Their Legal Implications

Latham & Watkins LLP on

Latham & Watkins lawyers discuss the emerging technology of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), including how they function and their various legal implications in the US, UK, and APAC. Topics: • Understanding NFTs and their...more

Polsinelli

John McAfee Meet Agent Smith

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 Agent Smith in the Matrix described humans as a “virus.  A disease, a cancer of this planet. You are a plague, and we are the cure.” While not alleging all human beings are a virus, the U.S. government views John McAfee, the...more

Orrick - On the Chain

The SEC Gets its Kiks out of a Successful Application of the Howey Test

Orrick - On the Chain on

In a closely-watched cryptocurrency case, on September 30, the Southern District of New York ruled in favor of the SEC in SEC v. Kik Interactive, Inc., holding that the Kin tokens Kik had offered and sold through a pre-sale...more

Cozen O'Connor

Has the SAFT Been KIKed to the Curb?

Cozen O'Connor on

On September 30, 2020, SDNY Judge Alvin Hellerstein issued a decision of major significance for the digital token industry in Securities and Exchange Commission v. Kik Interactive, Inc. This is only the second federal court...more

Polsinelli

SEC Mike Drop on Rapper and Film Producer Charged With Illegal ICOs

Polsinelli on

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently announced charges against rapper and actor Clifford Harris, Jr., known as T.I. or Tip, film producer Ryan Felton, and three others who promoted Felton’s unregistered...more

Polsinelli

Ring of Fire - SEC Hangs Up on Telegram

Polsinelli on

After an extended fight with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), Telegram has agreed to resolve charges the company's unregistered offering of digital tokens called "Grams" violated the United States federal...more

Polsinelli

It’s the Fall That’s Gonna Kill You

Polsinelli on

Like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid gloriously diving off a cliff, Telegram is about to take the fall and is trying to take the SEC with it.  However, Telegram and supporters are making a number of important arguments in...more

Polsinelli

BitBlog Bi-Weekly Update - March 2020

Polsinelli on

Strikeout for Bitcoin ETF -   Another ETF bites the dust. On February 26th the SEC rejected the application of NYSE Acre for the approval of an exchange traded fund sponsored by the New York firm of Wilshire Phoenix to...more

Polsinelli

Blockchain Litigation Year In Review (Part 2): Lessons From 2019 And What’s Ahead For 2020

Polsinelli on

It began as an obscure experiment in unregulated virtual currency. Initially undistinguished from Bitcoin, blockchain evolved to become one of the pillars of web 3.0, enabling new means of trust, transparency, security and...more

Polsinelli

Blockchain Litigation Year in Review (Part 1): Lessons From 2019 And What’s Ahead For 2020

Polsinelli on

When is a digital asset a security or a commodity? Are SAFTs safe? Does hyping blockchain create an expectation of profit? Is blockchain a trademark, trade secret or neither? Are free tokens tax-free? Who is Satoshi Nakamoto?...more

Orrick - On the Chain

Power of the Peirce: SEC Commissioner Spends Some of Her Influence on Trying to Help Crypto Network Developers

Orrick - On the Chain on

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce continues to be one of the most vocal persons in leadership positions at federal regulators who are promoting innovation in digital currency and the blockchain....more

Polsinelli

BitBlog Bi-Weekly Update - February 2020

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Many crypto entrepreneurs are seeking to build decentralized networks in which a token serves as a means of exchange on, or provides access to a function of the network.  In the course of building out the network, they need...more

Polsinelli

Wind of Change - The Year FinTech Came in From the Cold - Polsinelli BitBlog: Year End Edition

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Digital assets and Blockchain technologies which were once described as the tools of criminals, are now a key part of efforts by traditional financial services firms to transform their businesses and innovative firms looking...more

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