News & Analysis as of

Securities Exchange Act › Digital Assets

The Securities Exchance Act is a United States federal statute enacted in 1934 to govern the secondary securities trading market. In addition, the Securities Exchange Act established the Securities and Exchange... more +
The Securities Exchance Act is a United States federal statute enacted in 1934 to govern the secondary securities trading market. In addition, the Securities Exchange Act established the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which is the primary regulatory agency enforcing federal securities laws. less -
Latham & Watkins LLP

SEC Staff Clarifies That Certain Protocol Staking Activities Do Not Implicate the Registration Requirements of the US Federal...

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The Staff clarifies that protocol staking does not qualify as a security under the Howey Test, clearing the way for market participants to engage in staking....more

Fenwick & West LLP

SEC Staff Says Certain Protocol Staking Activities Don't Constitute the Sale of Securities

Fenwick & West LLP on

The SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance recently issued a statement on Certain Protocol Staking Activities, essentially articulating the Division’s view that “Protocol Staking Activities,” do not involve the offer and sale...more

K&L Gates LLP

United States: SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance Clarifies That Participation in Certain Proof-Of-Stake Activities Does Not...

K&L Gates LLP on

On 29 May 2025, the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance (the Division) issued a guidance statement (Statement) related to certain protocol staking activities. The Statement addresses the impact of federal securities laws on...more

Jones Day

Crypto Staking: SEC Staff Clarifies Non-Security Status for Certain Protocol Activities

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A May 29, 2025, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") Division of Corporation Finance statement explains that "Covered Crypto Assets"—crypto tokens without any inherent rights to passive income, business enterprise...more

Lowenstein Sandler LLP

A Step Forward for Broker-Dealers and Transfer Agents Engaged in Crypto Asset Businesses

Lowenstein Sandler LLP on

The Staff noted that Securities Exchange Act (SEA) Rule 15c3-3(b) only applies to securities carried by a broker-dealer. Accordingly, if a broker-dealer carries non-security crypto assets (e.g., Bitcoin or Ether), a...more

Latham & Watkins LLP

SEC Staff Clarifies That Certain Dollar-Backed Stablecoins Do Not Implicate the Securities Laws

Latham & Watkins LLP on

The Staff noted that a stablecoin generally is not subject to SEC jurisdiction if it is not an investment and used solely for commercial activity....more

Mayer Brown Free Writings + Perspectives

The SEC’s Staff of the Division of Corporation Finance Clarifies Its Views on Crypto Mining

Mayer Brown Free Writings + Perspectives on

On March 20, 2025, the SEC’s Staff of the Division of Corporation Finance (the “Division”) issued a statement providing its views that crypto mining activities (as defined in its statement) do not involve the offer and sale...more

A&O Shearman

Southern District Of New York Denies Digital Asset Trading Company’s Motion For Judgment On The Pleadings

A&O Shearman on

On February 7, 2025, Judge Paul A. Engelmayer of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York denied a motion for judgment on the pleadings in a putative class action against a cryptocurrency...more

A&O Shearman

Second Circuit Upholds Dismissal Of Federal Securities Law Claims Against Cryptocurrency Trading Platform Operator

A&O Shearman on

On February 26, 2025, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed the dismissal of federal securities claims against the developers of a decentralized cryptocurrency exchange and the exchange’s venture...more

Fenwick & West LLP

Entertainment or Investment? The SEC’s Stance on Meme Coins as Securities

Fenwick & West LLP on

On February 27, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Division of Corporation Finance (Corp Fin) published a new staff statement intended to clarify the application of federal securities laws to meme coins....more

Seward & Kissel LLP

Finally, clarity (or perhaps, “clarity-ish”)

Seward & Kissel LLP on

After years of refusing to give clear answers on the issue of which tokens are securities, the SEC has finally provided some clarity, at least with respect to meme coins: they are not securities. Well, actually, not quite;...more

Latham & Watkins LLP

SEC Withdraws Appeal of Court Decision to Vacate Its Dealer Rules

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The SEC’s move is part of a recent shift toward a less enforcement-centric approach that is set to reshape the regulatory framework for digital assets in the US....more

Cornerstone Research

SEC Enforcement of Cryptocurrency Dropped 30% in the Last Year of the Gensler Administration

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Enforcement during Gensler administration was considerably higher than during the previous administration. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) brought 33 cryptocurrency-related enforcement actions in 2024, the...more

Proskauer - Regulatory & Compliance

Digital Assets:  What to Expect from the Incoming Administration and Congress

Proskauer - Regulatory & Compliance on

The Trump Administration and the new Republican-led Congress are expected to create a friendlier governmental approach to crypto assets. Among other things, key nominees to serve as senior administration officials are known...more

Morgan Lewis

Attorneys General Allege SEC Overreach in Digital Asset Regulation

Morgan Lewis on

A complaint was recently filed by 18 state attorneys general and the DeFi Education Fund against the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), alleging that the agency is exceeding its authority by attempting to regulate...more

A&O Shearman

Tenth Circuit Court Of Appeals Affirms Dismissal Of Securities Class Action Against Online Retailer

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On October 15, 2024, a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit affirmed a decision by the United States District Court for the District of Utah granting a motion to dismiss a putative...more

Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP

Bitnomial Exchange Sues SEC, Challenging Agency's Authority Over XRP Futures

Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP on

Bitnomial Exchange, LLC (Bitnomial), a designated contract market (DCM) registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), has launched a legal offensive against the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC),...more

WilmerHale

Binance Ruling Spotlights Muddled Post-Morrison Landscape

WilmerHale on

The March decision in Williams v. Binance from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit marks the latest chapter in the judiciary's struggle to apply the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 decision in Morrison v. National...more

A&O Shearman

SEC Achieves Jury Verdict In Cryptocurrency Fraud Case

A&O Shearman on

On April 5, 2024, a jury in the Southern District of New York found cryptocurrency startup Terraform Labs PTE Ltd. (the “Company”) and its co-founder, Do Kwon, liable for securities fraud. The jury sided with the SEC in...more

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Inside the Courts – An Update From Skadden Securities Litigators - February 2024

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP on

Securities Class Actions Show No Signs of Slowing in 2024 - Key Points - While the volume of securities class actions filings has remained consistently elevated over the past several years, the composition of the class...more

Latham & Watkins LLP

The SEC’s Definition of a “Dealer” - End of the Road for DeFi, or Just Another Bump?

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The SEC’s ambiguous rule could have a chilling effect both on decentralized finance and on the provision of liquidity to centralized crypto exchanges. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted a new rule on...more

Cornerstone Research

SEC Cryptocurrency Enforcement Report Summary

Cornerstone Research on

Cryptocurrency enforcement continues to be a high priority for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In 2023, the SEC administration under Chair Gary Gensler brought a total of 46 cryptocurrency-related...more

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

SEC charges crypto company with fraud and anti-registration violations

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On November 1, the SEC charged a crypto company and its executive team with fraud through the unregistered sale of crypto asset securities. According to the complaint, the defendants represented in marketing materials,...more

Holland & Knight LLP

Good as Gold? Dual SEC/CFTC Trials Loom for Alleged Precious Metals Coin Fraud

Holland & Knight LLP on

Digital assets are not the only coins drawing regulatory scrutiny these days. Earlier this year, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that it filed a complaint against California-based Red Rock Secured...more

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

The SEC’s Second NFT Enforcement Action: SEC v. Stoner Cats 2

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Key Point - Just over two weeks after the SEC announced the settlement of its first NFT enforcement action against Impact Theory, on September 13, 2023, the SEC announced its second NFT enforcement action against SC2, the...more

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