Highlight the Third Circuit’s adoption of the de novo standard of review in evaluating appeals of derivative litigation demand-futility decisions; Explore the Sixth Circuit’s recognition of the applicability of the...more
On June 17, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari on Nvidia’s appeal of the Ninth Circuit’s decision to revive a shareholder class action lawsuit against the company. The Supreme Court will consider the appropriate...more
On June 17, the U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari in Nvidia Corp. v. E. Ohman J:or Fonder AB, agreeing to hear Nvidia’s appeal of a Ninth Circuit ruling that revived shareholders’ fraud claims regarding Nvidia’s...more
Each month we publish a roundup of the most important SEC enforcement developments for busy in-house lawyers and compliance professionals. This month, we examine: •The SEC’s expanded definition of securities dealers; - •An...more
The year 2023 witnessed a recovery in the cryptocurrency and digital assets market corresponding with fewer crypto-related securities class action litigation actions than in 2022. Despite this decrease, the nature of the...more
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently issued a highly anticipated decision authorizing the listing and trading of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded products (ETPs) on national listing exchanges. The decision...more
Since the first action in July 2013, the SEC has brought a total of 173 cryptocurrency-related enforcement actions as of December 31, 2023, comprising: 108 litigations, and - 65 administrative proceedings....more
Like many other industries, Registered Investment Advisers ("RIAs") have dealt with significant regulatory, technological, and systemic change in recent years. Compared to FINRA-regulated entities, RIAs often face these...more
On January 10, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) issued an order approving the applications of 11 different spot Bitcoin exchange‑traded products (the “Approved ETPs”) to each list and trade their shares on...more
As the world now knows, Binance Holdings Limited, doing business as Binance.com (“Binance” or the “Company”), has entered into a plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”)....more
Just barely two weeks ago, we wrote about the half-victory for Ripple Labs in its ongoing litigation with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), in which Judge Analisa Torres granted partial summary judgment in favor...more
Examine a major Ninth Circuit decision affirming dismissal of a Section 14(a) derivative action based on a forum-selection clause; Highlight the Third Circuit’s adoption of the Omnicare standard for securities fraud claims;...more
Arguments presented by Coinbase in its answer to SEC charges would, if accepted, potentially deprive the SEC of its most effective tool in regulating digital assets. The SEC alleges in a Complaint in SDNY that Coinbase...more
On June 5, 2023, the SEC filed an extensive civil complaint against Binance Holdings Limited, its assorted affiliates and its beneficial owner and CEO, Changpeng Zhao, alleging multiple violations of the Securities Act of...more
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC or the Commission) voted on Friday, April 14, 2023, to reopen the comment period for previously proposed amendments to Rule 3b-16 under the Exchange Act of 1934 (the...more
The 2022 decline in the cryptocurrency and digital assets market resulted in a year with more crypto securities class action litigation than any previous year. This article explores the 2022 crypto securities class action...more
In 2022, there were 197 federal securities class actions filed, which is a slight drop from the 211 filings in 2021, and a significant drop from the over 400 filings in 2017, 2018, and 2019, and over 300 in 2020. There were...more
Continuing instability in the crypto sector highlights the need for clear regulation for efficient development, but how best to regulate is an ongoing debate. Recent instability in the crypto sector will only intensify the...more
On November 22, 2022, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) denied a petition by Nexo Financial LLC (“Nexo Financial”) to modify a Civil Investigative Demand (CID) issued on December 1 2021. In rendering its...more
On July 21, 2022, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced insider trading charges against a former Coinbase product manager, Ishan Wahi, his brother, Nikhil Wahi, and a friend, Sameer Ramani, for trading...more
On July 21, 2022, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a civil enforcement action alleging that from at least June 2021 to April 2022, the three named defendants orchestrated and perpetrated an insider...more
DOJ and SEC Bring Charges Against Executive in Alleged $62 Million Global Crypto Investment Fraud Scheme - On May 6, 2022, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that a federal district court in the Southern District of...more
Department of Justice announces criminal and civil cryptocurrency initiatives as Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gensler continues to develop the agency’s regulatory and enforcement agenda. Despite an unsettled...more
Northern District of California Dismisses Traders’ Suit Against Bitmex Crypto Exchange with Prejudice; Delaware Supreme Court Upholds Chancery Court Ruling That Stockholder Appraisal Rights Can Be Waived by Contract;...more
SEC Settles First-Of-Its-Kind $13m DeFi Tech Action; NASDAQ Board Diversity Rules Challenged in Fifth Circuit; Delaware Court of Chancery Declines to Enforce Contractual Limitations on Liability to Bar Contractual Fraud...more