Market
Lido DAO Ruling Sparks Legal Concerns Across Crypto Community

A federal court in California has ruled that members of the Lido DAO can be held liable under state partnership laws.
Tile the case focuses on the decentralized governing body behind the popular liquid staking protocol (LSP). Nevertheless, this precedent marks a landmark decision with significant implications for decentralized governance.
Court Rules Lido DAO Members Liable Under Partnership Laws
Andrew Samuels brought the lawsuit after purchasing Lido’s native LDO tokens on the secondary market in April and May 2023 via the Gemini exchange. Samuels later filed a class-action suit in December, alleging that the tokens were sold as unregistered securities. He blamed the DAO for his financial losses due to their declining value.
In his complaint, Samuels argued that the DAO actively solicited token purchases on exchanges, violating securities laws. The court sided with him, ruling that the DAO’s structure and activities subjected it to general partnership liability.
“The statutory phrase ‘offers or sells’ has been construed broadly to include solicitation of securities purchases. Samuels has sufficiently alleged that Lido DAO solicited these purchases, making it liable,” the court noted.
The ruling, issued on Monday by Judge Vince Chhabria of the US Northern District Court of California, rejected Lido DAO’s claim that it operates as a non-legal entity immune to traditional legal frameworks. Instead, the court classified the DAO as a general partnership, holding its participants accountable for its operations and liabilities.
The judge identified specific participants, including prominent venture capital (VC) firms Paradigm Operations, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), and Dragonfly Digital Management. Per the ruling, these VCs pass as general partners due to their active involvement in Lido DAO’s governance and operations. However, another investor, Robot Ventures, was dismissed from the lawsuit due to insufficient evidence of direct participation.
The court’s decision marks a pivotal moment in the legal treatment of decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs). Of note is that DAOs are designed to operate without centralized control. However, the court found that Lido DAO’s structure — where token holders govern decisions and earn staking rewards — meets California’s definition of a general partnership.
“[This case] raises critical questions about the ability of individuals in the crypto ecosystem to shield themselves from liability through novel legal arrangements tied to decentralized financial instruments,” judge Chhabria wrote in his ruling.
This decision suggests that mere association with a DAO may not be enough to establish liability. Instead, active involvement in governance or operations is required.
The ruling has sparked concern across the crypto and blockchain community. Miles Jennings, General Counsel and Head of Decentralization at a16z crypto, described the decision as a severe setback for decentralized governance.
“Under the ruling, any DAO participation (even posting in a forum) could be sufficient to hold DAO members liable for the actions of other members under general partnership laws,” Jennings wrote in a statement on X (formerly Twitter).
The decision highlights the risks for participants in DAOs, particularly those involved in governance or decision-making processes.
By rejecting the argument that a DAO’s decentralized structure shields its participants from liability, the court has set a precedent that could affect other DAOs and their contributors. The ruling emphasized that a general partnership can exist even without the explicit intent to form one. It suffices, provided two or more individuals associate to co-own and operate a business for profit.
This case has far-reaching implications for the crypto industry, particularly for decentralized projects that rely on token-based governance models. Moving forward, DAOs may need to rethink their structures and establish legal entities to protect participants from similar liability risks.
“Every DAO will require a legal wrapper, a careful choice of jurisdiction, and compliance with laws of security (token) issuance unless the law changes,” Chief Apostle of RWA commented.
The decision signals a challenging road ahead for Lido DAO and its participants as they walk the legal and regulatory pathway. Meanwhile, other DAOs and decentralized projects may face increased scrutiny as courts and regulators examine their operations under traditional legal frameworks.

Lido DAO’s LDO token is down almost 2% on this news. As of this writing, it is trading at $1.18.
Disclaimer
In adherence to the Trust Project guidelines, BeInCrypto is committed to unbiased, transparent reporting. This news article aims to provide accurate, timely information. However, readers are advised to verify facts independently and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content. Please note that our Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.
Market
BNB Price Faces More Downside—Can Bulls Step In?

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Market
VanEck Sets Stage for BNB ETF with Official Trust Filing

Global investment management firm VanEck has officially registered a statutory trust in Delaware for Binance’s BNB (BNB) exchange-traded fund (ETF).
This move marks the first attempt to launch a spot BNB ETF in the United States. It could potentially open new avenues for institutional and retail investors to gain exposure to the asset through a regulated investment vehicle.
VanEck Moves Forward with BNB ETF
The trust was registered on March 31 under the name “VanEck BNB ETF” with filing number 10148820. It was recorded on Delaware’s official state website.

The proposed BNB ETF would track the price of BNB. It is the native cryptocurrency of the BNB Chain ecosystem, developed by the cryptocurrency exchange Binance.
As per the latest data, BNB ranks as the fifth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization at $87.1 billion. Despite its significant market position, both BNB’s price and the broader cryptocurrency market have faced some challenges recently.
Over the past month, the altcoin’s value has declined 2.2%. At the time of writing, BNB was trading at $598. This represented a 1.7% dip in the last 24 hours, according to data from BeInCrypto.

While the trust filing hasn’t yet led to a price uptick, the community remains optimistic about the prospects of BNB, especially with this new development.
“Send BNB to the moon now,” an analyst posted on X (formerly Twitter).
The filing comes just weeks after VanEck made a similar move for Avalanche (AVAX). On March 10, VanEck registered a trust for an AVAX-focused ETF.
This was quickly followed by the filing of an S-1 registration statement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Given this precedent, a similar S-1 filing for a BNB ETF could follow soon.
“A big step toward bringing BNB to US institutional investors!” another analyst wrote.
Meanwhile, the industry has seen an influx of crypto fund applications at the SEC following the election of a pro-crypto administration. In fact, a recent survey revealed that 71% of ETF investors are bullish on crypto and plan to increase their allocations to cryptocurrency ETFs in the next 12 months.
“Three-quarters of allocators expect to increase their investment in cryptocurrency-focused ETFs over the next 12 months, with demand highest in Asia (80%), and the US (76%), in contrast to Europe (59%),” the survey revealed.
This growing interest in crypto ETFs could drive further demand for assets like BNB, making the VanEck BNB ETF a potentially significant product in the market.
Disclaimer
In adherence to the Trust Project guidelines, BeInCrypto is committed to unbiased, transparent reporting. This news article aims to provide accurate, timely information. However, readers are advised to verify facts independently and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content. Please note that our Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.
Market
XRP Recovery Stalls—Are Bears Still In Control?

XRP price started a fresh decline from the $2.20 zone. The price is now consolidating and might face hurdles near the $2.120 level.
- XRP price started a fresh decline after it failed to clear the $2.20 resistance zone.
- The price is now trading below $2.150 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average.
- There is a connecting bearish trend line forming with resistance at $2.120 on the hourly chart of the XRP/USD pair (data source from Kraken).
- The pair might extend losses if it fails to clear the $2.20 resistance zone.
XRP Price Faces Rejection
XRP price failed to continue higher above the $2.20 resistance zone and reacted to the downside, like Bitcoin and Ethereum. The price declined below the $2.150 and $2.120 levels.
The bears were able to push the price below the 50% Fib retracement level of the recovery wave from the $2.023 swing low to the $2.199 high. There is also a connecting bearish trend line forming with resistance at $2.120 on the hourly chart of the XRP/USD pair.
The price is now trading below $2.150 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. However, the bulls are now active near the $2.10 support level. They are protecting the 61.8% Fib retracement level of the recovery wave from the $2.023 swing low to the $2.199 high.
On the upside, the price might face resistance near the $2.120 level and the trend line zone. The first major resistance is near the $2.150 level. The next resistance is $2.20. A clear move above the $2.20 resistance might send the price toward the $2.240 resistance. Any more gains might send the price toward the $2.2650 resistance or even $2.2880 in the near term. The next major hurdle for the bulls might be $2.320.
Another Decline?
If XRP fails to clear the $2.150 resistance zone, it could start another decline. Initial support on the downside is near the $2.10 level. The next major support is near the $2.0650 level.
If there is a downside break and a close below the $2.0650 level, the price might continue to decline toward the $2.020 support. The next major support sits near the $2.00 zone.
Technical Indicators
Hourly MACD – The MACD for XRP/USD is now gaining pace in the bearish zone.
Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for XRP/USD is now below the 50 level.
Major Support Levels – $2.10 and $2.050.
Major Resistance Levels – $2.120 and $2.20.
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