Regulation
Binance US Legal Woes Intensify As Appeals Court Revives Lawsuit
A United States appeals court has breathed new life into a class-action lawsuit against Binance US, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges. The lawsuit, which alleges manipulation of the HEX token’s price, had previously been dismissed but has now been partially revived.
Appeals Court Reinstated Lawsuit Against Binance US
The United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has partially overturned the dismissal of a class-action lawsuit against Binance US. The lawsuit, centered on alleged price manipulation of the HEX cryptocurrency token, has been given new life following the court’s ruling on August 12.
The case, initially filed in 2021 by plaintiff Ryan Cox, accuses the crypto exchange and CoinMarketCap of unlawfully manipulating the HEX token’s price. Cox alleges that these entities artificially restricted HEX’s ranking on CoinMarketCap, a Binance-owned cryptocurrency price-tracking platform, trading at lower prices than Binance’s cryptocurrencies.
A panel of three judges disagreed with the district court’s earlier dismissal, which had ruled that Cox failed to establish a sufficient connection between specific actions in Arizona and Binance US. The appeals court found that the district court’s requirement for establishing “sufficient minimum contacts” was incorrect. It noted that both parties have significant connections with the broader United States due to their incorporation or principal place of business within the country.
The panel’s opinion stated that these connections satisfy the due process requirements for personal jurisdiction and determined that Cox’s claims of price manipulation against Binance.US were valid. As a result, the case has been remanded for further legal proceedings.
This ruling comes against increased scrutiny of the HEX token and its founder, Richard Heart. On July 31, 2023, the SEC filed a separate lawsuit against Heart for alleged violations of federal securities laws and defrauding investors of at least $12.1 million. The SEC claims that Heart misused investor funds for personal luxury purchases, including a 555-carat diamond, expensive watches, and high-end cars.
Reviving this lawsuit against them adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing legal challenges in the cryptocurrency industry, potentially setting precedents for how U.S. courts approach jurisdiction in cases involving digital asset exchanges and price manipulation allegations.
Binance Celebrates Partial Victory In SEC Case
In a separate legal matter, Binance is celebrating a significant milestone in its ongoing dispute with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). A federal court recently dismissed several of the SEC’s major claims against the exchange, including rulings that crypto tokens are not securities.
Also, sales of Binance Coin (BNB) on secondary exchanges were not sufficiently alleged to be securities, and Binance’s stablecoin, BUSD, is not classified as a security. Binance hailed this decision as a victory for the entire cryptocurrency industry, while Binance US stated it remains prepared for the next phases of this legal journey.
Coingape Staff
CoinGape comprises an experienced team of native content writers and editors working round the clock to cover news globally and present news as a fact rather than an opinion. CoinGape writers and reporters contributed to this article.
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.
US SEC Chair nominee Paul Atkins has revealed his intention to prioritize providing regulatory clarity for the crypto industry. This came following Atkins’ nomination hearing before the US Senate Banking Committee.
Paul Atkins To Prioritize Regulatory Clarity For Crypto Industry
During his Senate Banking Committee nomination hearing, Paul Atkins stated that a top priority of his chairmanship will be to work with his fellow commissioners and Congress to provide a “firm regulatory foundation for digital assets through a rational, coherent, and principled approach.
This comes just as CoinGape reported that the US SEC plans to shift its focus from crypto enforcement actions to traditional cases. Under past Chair Gary Gensler, the Commission adopted the regulation by enforcement approach instead of providing clarity for the industry.
However, Atkins is looking to change that, with his mission already aligning with the moves the agency, under Acting Chair Mark Uyeda, has made so far to create a regulatory-friendly environment for the industry.
During the hearing, Committee Chairman Tim Scott alluded to the backlash that the SEC faced under Gensler. Paul Atkins admitted that all prior issues were disturbing and committed to working on boosting the agency’s image. He added that he wants to go back to the basics and ensure that the Commission works in line with its mission.
Atkins Crypto Holdings Revealed
Coingape recently reported that Paul Atkins holds almost $6 million in crypto investments, according to a disclosure released on Tuesday. Between $250,000 and $500,000 is equity in crypto custodian Anchorage Digital.
Meanwhile, the US SEC Chair nominee previously held a board position at the BlackRock-backed tokenization firm and had nearly $250,000 to $500,000 in call options. $1 million to $5 million of these investments came from stakes in Off the Chain Capital, where he is a limited partner.
It is unclear if Paul Atkins will offload these crypto investments if the US Senate confirms him as the next US SEC Chair. However, Senator Elizabeth Warren described his financial conflicts of interest as “breathtaking.”
Boluwatife Adeyemi
Boluwatife Adeyemi is a well-experienced crypto news writer and editor who has covered topics that cut across several topics and niches. Boluwatife has a knack for simplifying the most technical concepts and making it easy for crypto newbies to understand. Away from writing, He is an avid basketball lover, a traveler and a part-time degen.
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.
Ripple has dropped its cross-appeal against the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) following the latter’s decision to drop its case against the crypto firm last week. The firm’s Chief Legal Officer (CLO), Stuart Alderoty, also revealed what will happen with the $125 million penalty the Court awarded against them.
Ripple Drops Cross Appeal Against The US SEC
In an X post, Ripple’s CLO, Stuart Alderoty, revealed that his firm has now agreed to drop its cross-appeal against the US SEC after the Commission decided to drop the appeal without conditions.
This development officially ends the long-running legal battle between the crypto firm and the SEC, as the latter has also agreed to drop the Ripple lawsuit in its entirety.
Alderoty also revealed what will happen to the monetary judgment, which Judge Analisa Torres awarded against the crypto firm. He stated that the Commission will keep $50 million of the $125 million fine, which is already in an interest-bearing escrow in cash, while Ripple will collect the balance of $75 million.
Meanwhile, the US SEC will ask the Court to lift the standard injunction it imposed against the crypto firm at the Commission’s request. This move is subject to the Commission vote, the drafting of final documents, and routine court processes.
Significance Of This Development
Besides ending the Ripple lawsuit, the SEC’s agreement to request that the Court drop the standard injunction against the crypto firm paves the way for a surge in XRP’s adoption since the company can now proceed to carry on its on-demand liquidity (ODL) sales as usual.
Legal experts had predicted that Ripple was holding out on settlement to get the Commission to lower the fine and request the Court to drop the injunction. As such, these developments undoubtedly represent a massive victory for the firm.
CEO Brad Garlinghouse recently discussed the company’s future. He predicted that their US operations would grow in the coming months following the end of the lawsuit and thanks to imminent crypto legislation.
Boluwatife Adeyemi
Boluwatife Adeyemi is a well-experienced crypto news writer and editor who has covered topics that cut across several topics and niches. Boluwatife has a knack for simplifying the most technical concepts and making it easy for crypto newbies to understand. Away from writing, He is an avid basketball lover, a traveler and a part-time degen.
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
Brad Garlinghouse Discusses Ripple’s Future, Crypto Legislation & Blockchain Technology As Lawsuit Ends
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse recently discussed what is next for his firm and how crypto legislation could also positively impact the crypto industry’s trajectory and the future of blockchain technology. This comes just days after the US SEC agreed to drop the long-running Ripple lawsuit.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse Reveals What As SEC Drops Lawsuit
In a FOX Business interview, Brad Garlinghouse discussed what next for his firm following the SEC’s decision to drop the Ripple lawsuit. He noted that about 95% of the company’s customers are overseas, as the lawsuit hindered their US operations.
However, he suggested that will likely change moving forward as they grow their operations in the country. Garlinghouse remarked that they have already been witnessing domestic interest since US President Donald Trump took office. The Ripple CEO revealed they have signed more deals since then than in the six months preceding Trump’s inauguration.
The company is expected to grow further in the US after the SEC agreed to drop the Ripple lawsuit. Brad Garlinghouse predicts that his firm’s innovative technology will play out over the next ten to twenty years in terms of how it integrates and rewires the US financial structure in terms of payments, real estate, and securities transactions.
The Ripple CEO again took time to highlight how Trump’s crypto-related executive orders, especially the creation of the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile, have created a more friendly environment for crypto firms in the US.
He noted that financial institutions are now more open to crypto technology. As CoinGape reported, the OCC has cleared Federal Banks to engage in crypto activities.
On Stablecoin Legislation & Its Impact
Brad Garlinghouse commended the efforts of legislators like Senator Cynthia Lummis and Rep French Hill to provide regulatory clarity. These lawmakers are championing the market structure and stablecoin bills to create a regulatory framework that will guide crypto firms. Senator Lummis also recently reintroduced the Bitcoin Act to codify Trump’s vision of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
The Ripple CEO welcomed the idea of regulatory clarity, stating that it would reassure customers that they can engage with them in good faith. He remarked that these customers would feel more comfortable using their technologies without fear of regulators attacking them. Garlinghouse added that this would also enable more job creation, innovation, and capital formation in the US.
Boluwatife Adeyemi
Boluwatife Adeyemi is a well-experienced crypto news writer and editor who has covered topics that cut across several topics and niches. Boluwatife has a knack for simplifying the most technical concepts and making it easy for crypto newbies to understand. Away from writing, He is an avid basketball lover, a traveler and a part-time degen.
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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