Regulation
Ripple CLO Reveals The Likely Outcome Of The SEC Appeal
Stuart Alderoty, the Chief Legal Officer (CLO) of Ripple, recently provided an insightful perspective on the ongoing legal battle between Ripple and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). As the case progresses, Alderoty suggests that the possibilities range from a full affirmation of Judge Torres’s decision by the Second Circuit to a potential expansion of her rulings.
A less likely outcome, according to Alderoty, could see the case remanded back to Judge Torres for further deliberation.
Ripple CLO Stuart Alderoty Shares Major Insight Ahead of SEC Appeal
In a recent post on X platform, Alderoty suggested that the Second Circuit, might either affirm the decision by Judge Analisa Torres or possibly expand on her ruling. Further, Ripple CLO expressed confidence in the XRP company’s position, noting that the best outcome the SEC could hope for would be a remand to the lower court.
He highlighted the improbability of the appeal succeeding in overturning Judge Torres’s original decisions, suggesting that the best the SEC could hope for would be a remand.
Such a scenario would reopen Ripple’s original defenses, including the “Fair Notice” defense. This defense questions whether a party of ordinary intelligence would have known that their actions were against the law. Alderoty said,
“ The SEC could end up arguing to Judge Torres that she wasn’t a person of ‘ordinary intelligence’ when she ruled against them. Awkward.”
Additionally, the Ripple CLO drew an analogy between the SEC’s persistent legal pursuit and the literary work “Moby Dick,” with SEC Chair Gary Gensler cast in the role of Captain Ahab. More so, Ripple CLO humorously added that the situation now mirrors comedic elements similar to the movie “My Cousin Vinny.” This light-hearted comparison underscores the perceived overreach and determination of the SEC in its regulatory enforcement against Ripple.
Previous Rulings and Community Reactions
In the earlier stages of the litigation, the court ruled in favor of Ripple, rejecting the Securities and Exchange Commission’s arguments regarding XRP status as a security. Most recently, Alderoty shared updates with the XRP community, reassuring them that the verdict that “XRP is not a security” remains unchallenged. This clarification boosted community sentiment, with expectations of a potential rebound in XRP price.
In addition, legal analysts like James Murphy and Fred Rispoli, along with former Securities and Exchange Commission lawyer Marc Fagel, have commented on the proceedings. They highlighted that while the SEC opted not to appeal the decision on disgorgement during the remedies phase, the final judgment remains open for argument in the appellate briefs.
However, despite the Ripple vs SEC legal challenges, the impending launch of its RLUSD stablecoin could elevate XRP price towards $2 milestone.
At press time, XRP price is $0.54, marking a 3.5% increase over the past week. The cryptocurrency’s market cap stands at $30 billion, with a 24-hour trading volume of $622 million.
Disclaimer: The presented content may include the personal opinion of the author and is subject to market condition. Do your market research before investing in cryptocurrencies. The author or the publication does not hold any responsibility for your personal financial loss.
Regulation
Lawyer Calls Out Mistakes In Brad Garlinghouse & Chris Larsen’s Deal
Fred Rispoli, a lawyer in the Ripple vs SEC case, has criticized Brad Garlinghouse and Chris Larsen for agreeing to drop only some of the charges that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has leveled against them. According to Rispoli, the executives should have sought for the dismissal of all the charges instead of coming to a partial settlement.
Fred Rispoli Criticizes Brad Garlinghouse and Chris Larsen’s Deal
Through a series of posts on the X platform, Fred Rispoli, a lawyer, pointed out what he called blunders in the legal approach that Garlinghouse, Ripple’s CEO, and Larsen, the company’s executive chairman, took.
He personally expressed concern with their decision to drop some of the claims while not seeking a full trial on the “aiding and abetting” charges raised by the US SEC.
In the view of Rispoli, Ripple’s leaders were in the best position to defend themselves against the SEC’s allegations, especially the “Institutional Sales” claim, which would only hold if there was evidence of recklessness. He stated that the agency lacked compelling evidence to meet that burden, and a jury would likely have been frustrated by the SEC’s case, possibly resulting in a unanimous verdict in favor of Garlinghouse and Larsen.
Missed Opportunities for Key Testimonies in Ripple vs SEC Case
Rispoli also added that had Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse and Larsen proceeded to trial, there was a possibility that potential witnesses would have come into the picture. He said that the SEC’s former chairman Jay Clayton and its former co-director of the corporation finance division Bill Hinman, alongside other industry players, might have been called to give evidence.
These testimonies in the Ripple Vs SEC case could have given a clue on internal SEC determinations regarding the classification of cryptocurrencies, specifically XRP.
Additionally, a trial would have allowed presenting some documents that were previously shielded from discovery. Rispoli noted that this could have been advantageous for Ripple and other digital currency companies in the future as the data disclosed could be applied in legal concerns with the US SEC.
Ripple’s Cross-Appeal and the SEC’s Latest Move
In response to the SEC’s ongoing attempts to appeal certain aspects of a 2023 judgment given by the U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres, Ripple Labs filed a cross-appeal. In her decision, Torres stated that Ripple’s sales of XRP to retail investors on digital platforms were not securities sales.
However, the regulator is now appealing other parts of the decision in the Ripple Vs SEC case, including the firm’s institutional sales, and the distribution of XRP for non-cash considerations.
Stuart Alderoty, Ripple’s legal chief, also sounded optimistic about the case stating that the agency’s appeal would not go well. “I felt good about our case in the Southern District of New York. I feel even better about our case in the Second Circuit,” Alderoty said in a recent interview.
US SEC’s Filing Deadline and Response
Some controversy had arisen regarding whether the SEC filed its brief within the time allowed for filing an appeal. Some of the X users argued that the agency failed to file its Form C within the 14 days’ period for filing the appeal in the Ripple Vs SEC case. The form itself had been submitted on October 16 while the Second Circuit’s docket reflected the filing as having been made on October 17 thus raising questions as to the validity of the filing.
🚨NEW: In response to my question about what happened with the filing deadline and for an explanation as to the date on the Form C not matching the time stamp, an SEC spokesperson told me:
“It was filed on time.”
Listening to @MetaLawMan on @AbsGMCrypto this morning, he said… https://t.co/cygihF4KQM
— Eleanor Terrett (@EleanorTerrett) October 18, 2024
When asked about the deadline of the filing, the US SEC spokesperson said, “It was filed on time.” Meanwhile, despite all this, the US SEC’s appeal doesn’t challenge the part of the decision that states that XRP sales to retail investors through exchanges are not securities. That decision is still valid, still leaving the court’s finding that XRP is not a security when sold to retail investors intact.
Disclaimer: The presented content may include the personal opinion of the author and is subject to market condition. Do your market research before investing in cryptocurrencies. The author or the publication does not hold any responsibility for your personal financial loss.
Regulation
Elon Musk’s Companies Revenue Under Risk As EU Warns Heavy Penalties
The European Union (EU) has warned Elon Musk’s social media platform X sternly, indicating that it could face substantial fines. These penalties may extend to revenue generated from X and Musk’s other enterprises, such as SpaceX and Neuralink. This measure could amplify the financial risks for Musk’s businesses under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA).
European Union Targets Elon Musk’s Empire with Potential Revenue-Based Fines
Recent reports reveal that the European Union (EU) is contemplating imposing fines on Elon Musk’s X platform, potentially including revenues from his myriad other business ventures in the calculations. This approach comes under the Digital Services Act, which empowers the bloc to fine online platforms up to 6% of their annual global revenue for violations such as inadequate content moderation and transparency failures.
Hence, the potential fines could incorporate earnings from Musk’s companies like Space Exploration Technologies Corp. and Neuralink Corp., escalating the financial stakes. This approach suggests an aggressive regulatory posture in which Musk himself could be considered the liable entity rather than just the X platform.
However, it is important to note that Tesla Inc. remains outside the purview of these potential fines, as it is a publicly-traded company not under Musk’s full control.
Navigating EU Regulations: X Platform Avoids DMA Scrutiny
These developments come even as Musk’s X platform managed to evade regulations under the EU’s Digital Markets Act last month due to its minimal market impact. However, the platform continues to face scrutiny for its content moderation practices.
Moreover, the ongoing scrutiny stems from the platform’s struggles with controlling harmful content and misinformation. These challenges are magnified by the platform’s global reach and the high visibility and influence of its owner, Elon Musk.
Despite bypassing the requirements of the Digital Markets Act, X is still in the regulatory spotlight. The European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA) is still a major regulatory concern, especially with the recent revenue-inclusion warning. The DSA ensures that digital platforms operate transparently and are held accountable for the content they host.
In addition, Elon Musk’s Tesla recently transferred its Bitcoin holdings, aggregating to a value of $760 million. The move involved reallocating its publicly known Bitcoin stash across multiple transactions, marking the company’s first such financial activity in over two years. These movements sparked speculation regarding the intentions behind them.
In spite of the Tesla CEO’s continued troubles with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), Musk has maintained strong support for Trump in the coming US elections. This has led Musk to offer a substantial $75 million donation to America PAC, boosting Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.
Disclaimer: The presented content may include the personal opinion of the author and is subject to market condition. Do your market research before investing in cryptocurrencies. The author or the publication does not hold any responsibility for your personal financial loss.
Regulation
What’s Next for Crypto Mining in Russia? Leaders Discuss Taxes and Legislation
Russia has been steadily moving towards full regulation of its crypto mining industry, as government officials and industry leaders met at the first forum of the Industrial Mining Association (IMA) in Moscow.
The event, which happened on October 14, involved 70% of Russia’s crypto mining farms, showing that the country is increasingly interested in the sector. The discussions centred mainly on taxation, legal aspects of mining, and impact of crytocurrencies on cross border business transactions.
Taxation Framework for Crypto Miners
The primary discussion point of the forum was the proposal made by the Russian Federal Tax Service (FTS) to introduce a two-tier tax system for crypto-mining companies. The recommended plan to tax miners is proposed to be implemented at two key points.
First, miners will be expected to make a deposit once they get cryptocurrency into their wallets. In the second stage, another tax payment or deduction would be calculated on the basis of the price at which the mined coins are sold or transferred from the wallet.
FTS official Alexey Katyayev noted that there is no final decision on the issue of the taxation system. Nonetheless, crypto mining will not be taxed with Value Added Tax (VAT) since cryptocurrencies are not meant for consumption within the country. Concurrently, individual miners will still be required to pay personal income tax on their profits.
Cross-Border Payments and Experimental Legal Regime
Another key area of discussion at the forum was the possibility of using mined cryptocurrencies for cross-border payments, especially under the Russia crypto mining’s Experimental Legal Regime (ELR). At the present moment, the Bank of Russia is developing the necessary infrastructure for the implementation of cross-border operations with the help of digital currencies.
Nevertheless, there were different views on this matter. Some of the respondents complained that domestic production of crypto mining may not be adequate for export purposes. Some argued that instead of using cryptocurrencies, one should employ other financial digital assets designed for the international market.
Though details on the experimental regime remain scarce, it was agreed that information about the participants and trials’ results should not be made public. Anton Tkachev, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, noted that the anonymity of the experiment is crucial to avoid possible penalties and retain competitiveness in the Russian cryptocurrency mining sector.
Crypto Mining Registry and Compliance
In an attempt to increase the industry’s transparency, the Russian Federal Tax Service also suggested the creation of a national register of crypto miners. To this end, miners and other companies that engage in the cryptocurrency mining business will be required to provide information such as the location of their data centers, power consumption, and origin of the mining rigs used.
Additionally, they will be required to report their cryptocurrency output and electricity usage. While much of this data will remain confidential, the registry aims to ensure greater oversight and compliance with the law.
According to Katyayev, businesses that engage in crypto mining alongside other sectors such as manufacturing, cannot claim deductions in one area to offset against earnings in the other. However, he pointed out that regulation will enhance competition in the sector through the provision of clear legal framework.
Outlook for Russia’s Crypto Mining Industry
The consensus among forum participants was that crypto mining in Russia has a bright future, especially as the government continues to develop comprehensive regulations.
According to Igor Runets, the CEO of BitRiver, the industry will generate new opportunities in the next 1-2 years as the required facilities for energy-consuming computing like artificial intelligence are set up.
The two features that are likely to make market players list their companies on the stock exchanges include transparency and legal certainty. Timofey Semenov, CEO of Intelion Data Systems, noted that this will open up new capital opportunities for large companies, which is crucial for the further development of Russian crypto mining.
Disclaimer: The presented content may include the personal opinion of the author and is subject to market condition. Do your market research before investing in cryptocurrencies. The author or the publication does not hold any responsibility for your personal financial loss.
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