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SEC’s Crypto War Fades as Ripple, Coinbase Lawsuits Drop

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Since US President Donald Trump assumed office, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has dropped, settled, or paused lawsuits against prominent crypto entities left and right. In stark contrast to the previous administration’s leadership under Chair Gary Gensler, the SEC seems to be parting from its previous crackdown on digital assets.

In an interview with BeInCrypto, Nick Puckrin, Founder of The Coin Bureau, and Hank Huang, Chief Executive Officer at Kronos Research, highlighted the substantial election influence the crypto industry had over Trump’s candidacy as a contributing factor to the SEC’s looser stance on crypto. 

The SEC’s Approach Under Trump

The SEC has experienced a clear shift in its approach to crypto lawsuits under Trump’s presidency. Its move away from the aggressive enforcement tactics of its previous leadership has largely characterized this shift.

“When President Donald Trump won the US election, the crypto industry rejoiced. Finally, the‬ ‘regulation by enforcement’ era, which the SEC under‬‭ the leadership of Gary Gensler was so famous for, was about to come to an end. And the new‬‭ administration didn’t disappoint. Within just a couple of weeks of Trump’s inauguration, the‬‭ revamped SEC started dropping lawsuits against crypto firms‬‭ left, right and center‬‭,” Puckrin said.

Two weeks ago, the SEC officially dropped its appeal and XRP lawsuit against Ripple Labs, ending a five-year legal battle. The Commission had originally accused Ripple of conducting an unregistered securities offering worth $1.3 billion through XRP sales.

“After more‬‭ than four years in limbo, the SEC has officially decided that XRP is not a security (though what it‬‭ is instead remains to be seen). This case has been weighing heavily on XRP – the fourth largest‬‭ cryptocurrency with a‬‭ market cap of roughly $130 billion‬‭– so its resolution is a major win,” Puckrin added.

The wider crypto community celebrated the outcome, with many arguing that it will set a precedent for how digital assets are classified in the US. This prediction is warranted, given that the SEC has been on a lawsuit-dropping spree. 

Ripple and Coinbase Cases Mark Significant Wins

Shortly before ending the Ripple lawsuit, the SEC dropped its legal battle against Coinbase. The case also centered on whether Coinbase should be classified as a security. 

“The‬‭ SEC‬‭ is‬‭ clearly‬‭ retreating‬‭ from‬‭ its‬‭ once-aggressive‬‭ stance‬‭ on‬‭ crypto,‬‭ as‬‭ seen‬‭ in‬‭ its‬‭ 2025‬‭ dismissal‬‭ of‬‭ lawsuits‬‭ against‬‭ Ripple,‬‭ Coinbase,‬‭ and‬‭ others.‬‭ This‬‭ shift,‬‭ driven‬‭ by‬‭ the‬‭ crypto-friendly‬‭ and‬‭ pro-business‬‭ Trump‬‭ administration,‬‭ signals‬‭ a‬‭ future‬‭ of‬‭ more‬‭ streamlined‬‭ and‬‭ transparent‬‭ US‬‭ crypto‬‭ regulation,” Huang told BeInCrypto.

The SEC has also dropped several ongoing investigations against OpenSea, Robinhood, Uniswap Labs, Kraken, and Gemini. It has also asked a federal court to issue a 60-day pause over its litigation against Binance. Meanwhile, the Commission settled its investigation into ConsenSys over its Ethereum software products. 

These lawsuits surfaced in parallel to a series of crypto-friendly measures meant to foster greater innovation and curb potential regulatory suffocation that had existed during the Biden era. 

Will New Leadership Define Clear Crypto Regulations?

A day after Trump assumed office, SEC Acting Chairman Mark Uyeda announced the creation of a dedicated crypto task force led by Commissioner Hester Peirce. The task force was reportedly designed to resolve long-standing ambiguities in the regulatory treatment of digital assets.

In all SEC crypto lawsuits, Commissioner Uyeda has implemented a strategy prioritizing industry engagement to develop regulatory frameworks that balance innovation and investor protection.

Meanwhile, Trump strategically nominated Paul Atkins, a crypto-curious, regulation-light candidate, to replace Gensler as head of the SEC. Just this week, the Senate Banking Committee voted to advance Atkins’ nomination to the full Senate. 

“Driven‬‭ by‬‭ Republican‬‭ principles,‬‭ the‬‭ SEC‬‭ under‬‭ Trump‬‭ could‬‭ implement‬‭ clearer‬‭ crypto‬‭ guidelines‬‭ by‬‭ 2025,‬‭ reduce‬‭ regulatory‬‭ burdens,‬‭ and‬‭ roll‬‭ back‬‭ Biden-era‬‭ policies‬‭ that‬‭ have‬‭ stifled‬‭ innovation‬‭ by‬‭ 2027.‬‭ This‬‭ could‬‭ mark‬‭ the‬‭ beginning‬‭ of‬‭ treating‬‭ most‬‭ digital‬‭ assets‬‭ as‬‭ commodities,” Huang said.

Now, only a stone’s throw away from becoming SEC Chair, Atkins is expected to loosen regulatory oversight on crypto. 

“With‬‭ the‬‭ establishment‬‭ of‬‭ a‬‭ new‬‭ Task‬‭ Force‬‭ and‬‭ key‬‭ appointees‬‭ like‬‭ Paul‬‭ Atkins‬‭ fostering‬‭ innovation,‬‭ Trump’s‬‭ strategic‬‭ move‬‭ to‬‭ create‬‭ a‬‭ Bitcoin‬‭ reserve within the government further underscores his commitment to supporting the industry.‬‭ The‬‭ future‬‭ of‬‭ crypto‬‭ regulations‬‭ will‬‭ be‬‭ focused‬‭ on‬‭ less‬‭ oversight‬‭ and‬‭ the‬‭ beginning‬‭ of‬‭ a‬‭ delicate‬‭ but promising thaw in the regulatory landscape,” Huang added. 

Though some say Trump’s handling of crypto affairs has resulted in a never-before-seen triumph, others are weary that his increasing involvement in the industry has turned out to be a recipe for disaster.

The Impact of Crypto Donations on Regulations

Several industry leaders went to great lengths to ensure that Trump became America’s 47th president. Millions of dollars in donations from crypto firms throughout Trump’s campaign illustrated these efforts.

According to a Public Citizen report, over $119 million from crypto corporations went into influencing the 2024 federal elections, largely through Fairshake, a non-partisan super PAC backing pro-crypto candidates and opposing skeptics.

Crypto corporations donated over $119 million to the 2024 federal elections.
Crypto corporations donated over $119 million to the 2024 federal elections. Source: Public Citizen

Coinbase and Ripple, among others who stand to profit, directly provided over half of Fairshake’s funding. The remaining funds mostly came from billionaire crypto executives and venture capitalists. Notable contributions included $44 million from the founders of Andreessen Horowitz, $5 million from the Winklevoss twins, and $1 million from Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong.

So far, big crypto’s spending strategy is paying off with a more favorable environment.

“Political‬‭ donations‬‭ from‬‭ the‬‭ crypto‬‭ industry‬‭ during‬‭ the‬‭ 2024‬‭ election,‬‭ particularly‬‭ to‬‭ pro-crypto‬‭ candidates‬‭ like‬‭ Trump,‬‭ played‬‭ a‬‭ significant‬‭ role‬‭ in‬‭ shaping‬‭ the‬‭ SEC’s‬‭ 2025‬‭ decision‬‭ to‬‭ drop‬‭ lawsuits‬‭ against‬‭ crypto‬‭ firms.‬‭ These‬‭ contributions‬‭ helped‬‭ align‬‭ the‬‭ administration‬‭ with‬‭ the‬‭ industry’s‬‭ interests‬‭ and‬‭ influenced‬‭ Congress,‬‭ driving‬‭ about‬‭ 50-60%‬‭ of‬‭ the‬‭ shift,” Huang told BeInCrypto.

Without a clear framework to guide the crypto industry following these dropped lawsuits, this lax approach risks being short-lived. Ultimately, this could tarnish long-term crypto adoption.

Meme Coin Scams Highlight Deregulation Dangers

According to Puckrin, the success of the dropped lawsuits was obscured by the lack of regulations that have led to the proliferation of high-profile meme coin scams

“Somehow, all these victories feel somewhat hollow after the reputation of the crypto industry‬‭ has been tarnished by the‬‭ billions of dollars‬‭ in combined‬‭ losses from‬‭ meme coin scams‬‭.‬‭ Meanwhile, Hayden Davis, the mastermind behind LIBRA,‬‭ continues to launch fraudulent meme‬‭ tokens‬‭, despite being on the Interpol wanted list,” he said. 

A 2024 report by Web3 intelligence platform Merkle Science revealed that meme coin rug pulls cost investors over $500 million. The February LIBRA incident showed how this trend was carried over to 2025. Nansen data revealed that 86% of investors lost $251 million, while insiders pocketed $180 million in profits.

Though crypto scammers may be charged with related crimes like wire fraud or money laundering, rug pulling is legal. Better said, it’s unaccounted for. No regulation holds crypto insiders responsible for meme coin scams.

“As crypto becomes an ever more mainstream asset class, consumers need to be protected‬‭ against those who choose to use it for nefarious purposes. One way to do this is through‬‭ education, and that’s our job as an industry. But deterring scams and extractive behavior is the‬‭ job of the regulators. And it’s time they stepped up to the task,” Puckrin told BeInCrypto.

If the SEC doesn’t take advantage of this opportunity to curb the consequences that meme coin scams can produce, it will result in an enormous setback for the industry.

Comprehensive Regulation Beyond Dropped Lawsuits

‭Puckrin illustrated the need for heightened regulatory clarity in crypto by drawing attention to the way the SEC penalizes insider trading in the context of traditional investing. 

“In traditional investing, insider trading is a serious crime. In the US, it’s‬‭ punishable by‬‭ fines of up‬‭ to $5 million for individuals and prison sentences up to 20 years. Similarly, federal penalties for‬‭ engaging with illegal gambling activities include‬‭ up to five years in prison‬‭. Perpetrators of‬‭ memecoin scams must be punished with the same level of severity, because the result is the‬‭ same: manipulating markets and cheating unsuspecting investors out of their savings,” he said. ‭

Puckrin clarified, however, that the issue isn’t solely about penalizing fraudsters. Just as the SEC’s past overregulation hindered the industry, the current lack of meme coin rules creates an environment where new scams and exploitative schemes can easily flourish.

“Yes, the removal of lawsuits is‬‭ great news for blockchain innovation, but something needs to replace it. Indeed, serious‬‭ cryptocurrency firms have never advocated for an unregulated Wild West.‬‭ What they want is clarity and rules that are fit for the nascent blockchain industry – not just a‬‭ copy-and-paste of existing financial regulations that simply don’t work for crypto,” he said. 

Although the Trump administration has only been in place for four months, the clock is ticking, and meaningful change takes time.

Unanswered Questions Loom

Puckrin expressed concern over the current administration’s prioritization of lawsuit dismissals instead of working faster to implement transcendental crypto regulation.

“My concern is that‬‭ regulators will keep kicking the can down the road with crypto regulation, having gained the‬‭ approval of the industry for dropping the many lawsuits that were stifling its growth. And this is‬‭ incredibly dangerous,” he told BeInCrypto. 

Meanwhile, critical questions that only the SEC can define remain unanswered. 

“What are memecoins and who will ensure another LIBRA fiasco‬‭ doesn’t happen? Are utility altcoins now commodities and if so, will the Commodities Futures‬‭ Trading Commission (CFTC) regulate them? And, importantly, what do we do about‬‭ compensating investors who have lost‬‭ billions to crypto‬‭ fraud‬‭?” Puckrin concluded.‭

The SEC’s current direction promises a regulated renaissance or a breeding ground for future crises.

With billions lost and critical questions unanswered, the future of crypto hinges on whether the regulatory body will translate its recent shift into a lasting framework that fosters innovation without sacrificing investor protection.

Disclaimer

Following the Trust Project guidelines, this feature article presents opinions and perspectives from industry experts or individuals. BeInCrypto is dedicated to transparent reporting, but the views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of BeInCrypto or its staff. Readers should verify information independently and consult with a professional before making decisions based on this content. Please note that our Terms and ConditionsPrivacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.



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Solana Altcoin Saros Rallies 1000% Since March, Hits New High

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Saros, the Solana-based altcoin, has been on an impressive uptrend over the past month. The token’s price has formed new all-time highs (ATHs) nearly every day throughout March. 

However, with the momentum showing signs of slowing, investors are wondering if this rally is nearing its end.

SAROS Refrains From Following Bitcoin

The correlation between Saros and Bitcoin (BTC) is currently negative, sitting at -0.43. This negative correlation has worked in Saros’ favor, as it allowed the altcoin to perform well during Bitcoin’s struggles throughout March. While Bitcoin faced significant declines, Saros was able to rally largely due to this inverse relationship.

The shifting dynamics between Bitcoin and Saros will be key to the future price movement of the altcoin. Should Bitcoin regain its upward momentum, Saros may face increased selling pressure. This is because the negative correlation that has benefited Saros may reverse, impacting the altcoin’s ability to maintain its upward trajectory. 

SAROS Correlation to Bitcoin
SAROS Correlation to Bitcoin. Source: TradingView

The overall macro momentum of Saros shows that investor interest has remained strong. The Chaikin Money Flow (CMF) indicator has been increasing steadily over the past month, signaling consistent inflows. 

Recently, it crossed the saturation threshold of 0.7, a level that has historically led to price corrections. This suggests that while Saros has experienced significant gains, the market may be nearing an overbought condition. If profit-taking begins, a price pullback is highly probable for the altcoin.

SAROS CMF
SAROS CMF. Source: TradingView

SAROS Price Rise Continues

Saros has surged by an astounding 1,024% since the beginning of March, trading at $0.153 as of now. Throughout March, the altcoin has formed new ATHs almost daily, reflecting strong investor sentiment and demand. 

The current ATH stands at $0.163, and the momentum could continue pushing the price upwards, potentially reaching $0.200 if the uptrend remains intact. However, as the price continues to rise, the risk of profit-taking increases. 

SAROS Price Analysis.
SAROS Price Analysis. Source: TradingView

If Saros faces such a pullback, it could fall back towards the $0.100 support level. If the altcoin loses this key support, the price could drop further to $0.055, invalidating the bullish outlook. Investors should keep an eye on these levels as they will help determine whether the current rally is sustainable.

Disclaimer

In line with the Trust Project guidelines, this price analysis article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice. BeInCrypto is committed to accurate, unbiased reporting, but market conditions are subject to change without notice. Always conduct your own research and consult with a professional before making any financial decisions. Please note that our Terms and ConditionsPrivacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.



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Key Levels To Watch For Potential Breakout

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Semilore Faleti is a cryptocurrency writer specialized in the field of journalism and content creation. While he started out writing on several subjects, Semilore soon found a knack for cracking down on the complexities and intricacies in the intriguing world of blockchains and cryptocurrency.

Semilore is drawn to the efficiency of digital assets in terms of storing, and transferring value. He is a staunch advocate for the adoption of cryptocurrency as he believes it can improve the digitalization and transparency of the existing financial systems.

In two years of active crypto writing, Semilore has covered multiple aspects of the digital asset space including blockchains, decentralized finance (DeFi), staking, non-fungible tokens (NFT), regulations and network upgrades among others.

In his early years, Semilore honed his skills as a content writer, curating educational articles that catered to a wide audience. His pieces were particularly valuable for individuals new to the crypto space, offering insightful explanations that demystified the world of digital currencies.

Semilore also curated pieces for veteran crypto users ensuring they were up to date with the latest blockchains, decentralized applications and network updates. This foundation in educational writing has continued to inform his work, ensuring that his current work remains accessible, accurate and informative.

Currently at NewsBTC, Semilore is dedicated to reporting the latest news on cryptocurrency price action, on-chain developments and whale activity. He also covers the latest token analysis and price predictions by top market experts thus providing readers with potentially insightful and actionable information.

Through his meticulous research and engaging writing style, Semilore strives to establish himself as a trusted source in the crypto journalism field to inform and educate his audience on the latest trends and developments in the rapidly evolving world of digital assets.

Outside his work, Semilore possesses other passions like all individuals. He is a big music fan with an interest in almost every genre. He can be described as a “music nomad” always ready to listen to new artists and explore new trends.

Semilore Faleti is also a strong advocate for social justice, preaching fairness, inclusivity, and equity. He actively promotes the engagement of issues centred around systemic inequalities and all forms of discrimination.

He also promotes political participation by all persons at all levels. He believes active contribution to governmental systems and policies is the fastest and most effective way to bring about permanent positive change in any society.

In conclusion, Semilore Faleti exemplifies the convergence of expertise, passion, and advocacy in the world of crypto journalism. He is a rare individual whose work in documenting the evolution of cryptocurrency will remain relevant for years to come.

His dedication to demystifying digital assets and advocating for their adoption, combined with his commitment to social justice and political engagement, positions him as a dynamic and influential voice in the industry.

Whether through his meticulous reporting at NewsBTC or his fervent promotion of fairness and equity, Semilore continues to inform, educate, and inspire his audience, striving for a more transparent and inclusive financial future.



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IMX Price Nears All-Time Low After 30 Million Token Sell-Off

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Immutable’s (IMX) price has been on a significant downtrend recently, falling to multi-year lows. The token has suffered a sharp decline, and its price is currently hovering around $0.433. 

If the current trend continues, there is a possibility that IMX could form a new all-time low (ATL).

Immutable Investors Are Giving Up

The supply of Immutable on exchanges has risen dramatically in the past two weeks. A total of 30 million IMX tokens have been added, increasing the overall supply to 165 million IMX. This surge in supply is worth approximately $13 million and indicates a shift in investor sentiment. 

As investors begin to sell off their holdings, this suggests growing skepticism about the token’s future prospects. The trend has led to an increase in selling pressure, which further exacerbates the current price decline.

IMX Supply on Exchanges. Source: Santiment

The overall macro momentum for Immutable appears to be unfavorable at this point. Active addresses, which measure the number of unique addresses engaging with the network, are at a low level. The lack of participation reflects investor hesitation and reduced confidence in the token’s potential.

When fewer addresses are interacting with the network, it generally indicates a lack of new capital entering the market. As a result, this decline in activity has contributed to the negative sentiment surrounding IMX.

IMX Active Addresses
IMX Active Addresses. Source: Santiment

IMX Price Needs A Reversal

IMX price is down nearly 40% over the past two weeks, with the 30 million token sell-off playing a significant role in the decline. At the time of writing, the price is at $0.433, holding just above the critical support level of $0.400. If this support is broken, the price could fall further, potentially reaching $0.375 or below, resulting in a new all-time low.

The continued drawdown suggests that the token may not see a recovery soon unless the market conditions improve. If IMX manages to hold above $0.400, there is a slim chance it could stabilize before testing further resistance levels. However, breaking through the $0.400 support would likely lead to more losses.

IMX Price Analysis.
IMX Price Analysis. Source: TradingView

For a more optimistic scenario, IMX would need to reclaim the support level of $0.508. This could pave the way for a potential recovery, allowing the price to rise toward $0.684.

A successful breach of these levels could invalidate the bearish outlook and offer some hope for reversing recent losses.

Disclaimer

In line with the Trust Project guidelines, this price analysis article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice. BeInCrypto is committed to accurate, unbiased reporting, but market conditions are subject to change without notice. Always conduct your own research and consult with a professional before making any financial decisions. Please note that our Terms and ConditionsPrivacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.



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