Regulation
SEC & Coinbase File to Seal Confidential Information in Court
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Coinbase have filed a joint motion with the Southern District of New York, seeking an order to seal certain confidential information.
This action is sensitive given that both the parties involved claim that the documents in contention contain business information that if disclosed will be detrimental to their respective businesses. The case is based on the accusations made by the SEC that Coinbase participated in activities that should be under securities laws.
SEC and Coinbase Seek Court Approval
The motion to seal documents was made and submitted to Judge Katherine Polk Failla explaining the rationale as to why some documents should not be made public.
From the filing, the information comprises of the detailed financial operations, internal compliance measures, and the strategic business plans that are not disclosed to the public.
The disclosure of such information may lead to the unfair business advantages to competitors or undesirable impact on market behavior.
We thought you might find it easier to find our pleadings in SEC v. Coinbase, Inc., 1:23-cv-04738-KPF (S.D.N.Y) if we created a page and kept it updated. So we did.
https://t.co/MZiVehMkSG
— paulgrewal.eth (@iampaulgrewal) May 21, 2024
Arguments that have been provided by both the SEC and Coinbase indicate that sealing of these documents is crucial to prevent serious prejudice to their operations and also maintain the sanctity of the investigation process. Legal consultants explained that this is a common practice in situations where business secrets may be revealed during the trial.
Background of the Case
The SEC first filed the lawsuit against Coinbase in June 2023, alleging that the company was functioning as an unregistered broker and exchange. After that, in March when a judge allowed the SEC’s accusation that Coinbase was involved in the unregistered sales of securities to go to trial.
This decision was especially beneficial to the regulator since it enabled the allegations to be tried by the jury. Therefore, earlier this month, Coinbase had requested the SEC to approve a new framework for the regulation of crypto asset securities, citing the fact that the current laws are not well suited for the nature of crypto assets.
This request was however turned down by the SEC which argued that the current frameworks in place are adequate to address issues of investor protection and market integrity. The regulatory body has however been in a rough period with the recent vote to kill passed by the Senate of SAB 121 rule and the pending voting on bills that seek to ease the regulation of cryptocurrencies with the SEC being accused of slowing down innovation.
Read Also: Spot Ethereum ETF: When Is Launch Timeline If SEC Gives Approval?
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.
USDC issuer Circle is reportedly set to file its initial public offering (IPO) in April as part of the firm’s plans to finally go public. The stablecoin issuer is allegedly already working with top financial institutions to achieve this move.
Circle To File IPO In Late April
According to a Fortune report, Circle is looking to file its IPO in late April, although the listing period remains uncertain. The report noted that when a company files to go public, its shares usually begin trading four weeks later, indicating that the listing could occur in May. However, there is also a scenario where the IPO process could drag on for months.
The stablecoin issuer is reportedly working with investment banks JPMorgan Chase and Citi to achieve its long-anticipated IPO. The firm had previously tried to go public in 2021 under a SPAC arrangement with a shell company.
The US SEC failed to sign off on this arrangement back then, and the company eventually scrapped these IPO plans by the end of 2022 when the crypto exchange FTX collapsed and the broader crypto market experienced a downturn.
Revelation about Circle’s IPO plans comes just days after the stablecoin issuer partnered with NYSE’s parent company to explore USDC’s use in traditional finance (TradFi). Meanwhile, the USDC stablecoin recently launched in Japan following approval from the country’s regulator. Notably, USDC is the first and only global dollar stablecoin approved under Japan’s stablecoin framework.
An Easier Path Now For The Stablecoin Issuer
Circle will likely face less resistance for its IPO plans under the current SEC administration. Under acting Chair Mark Uyeda, the Commission has shown its willingness to work hand in hand with crypto firms, which was missing under Gary Gensler’s administration.
US SEC Chair nominee Paul Atkins has also shown his willingness to change the approach that Gensler’s administration adopted towards crypto firms. During his nomination hearing, the SEC Chair nominee promised to prioritize providing regulatory clarity for the industry.
Circle’s IPO listing would be the biggest since the top crypto exchange Coinbase went public in 2021. Interestingly, Coinbase owns an equity stake in the crypto firm.
The firm’s USDC is currently the second-largest stablecoin by market cap, only behind Tether’s USDT. The stablecoin industry is heating up as more financial institutions look to develop their own stablecoin.
Donald Trump’s World Liberty Financial recently revealed plans to launch its USD1 stablecoin, while asset manager Fidelity is also considering doing so.
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.
Cryptocurrency investors in Japan are bracing for impact following a plan to reclassify digital assets as financial products. While the plan has elicited excitement from cryptocurrency enthusiasts in the Far East, the ambitious plan will have to scale several legislative hurdles.
Japan Targets Reclassification Of Cryptocurrencies As Financial Products
According to a report by Nikkei, Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) is inching toward classifying cryptocurrencies as financial products. Per the report, the FSA intends to achieve the reclassification via an amendment to the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act.
Currently, digital assets in Japan are considered crypto assets conferred with property rights and seen as payment means. Under the FSA’s plans, cryptocurrencies in Japan will be treated as financial products in the same manner as traditional financial products.
The FSA says it will adopt a slow and steady approach toward the reclassification, carrying out “a private expert study group” to test the waters. If everything goes according to plan, the FSA will submit the amended bill to Parliament in early 2026.
The classification of cryptocurrencies as financial products will have far-reaching consequences for the local ecosystem. Experts say treating cryptocurrencies as financial products will bring Japan closer to a crypto ETF launch amid a changing regulatory landscape.
Furthermore, the move may lower current cryptocurrency taxation for local investors since existing capital market rules will apply to the asset class.
A Fresh Bill For Crypto Insider Trading Is Underway
Apart from the reclassification, the FSA disclosed plans for new legislation against insider trading. The move flows treating cryptocurrencies as financial products and will strengthen existing investor protection rules.
“It is a direction to establish a new insider trading regulation that prohibits trading based on unpublished internal information,” said the FSA. “We will develop laws to prevent unfair transactions.”
However, Japan’s cryptocurrency scene is heating up to a boil, driven by local and international players. Last week, stablecoin issuer Circle secured approval from the FSA for USDC with top exchanges set to list the stablecoin.
Japan’s Metaplanet has tapped Eric Trump to join its Strategic Board of Advisors as it continues to load up Bitcoin.
Aliyu Pokima
Aliyu Pokima is a seasoned cryptocurrency and emerging technologies journalist with a knack for covering needle-moving stories in the space. Aliyu delivers breaking news stories, regulatory updates, and insightful analysis with depth and precision. When he’s not poring over charts or following leads, Aliyu enjoys playing the bass guitar, lifting weights and running marathons.
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.
In what is being dubbed a major development in the crypto regulation space, the Governor of the US state of Kentucky, Andy Beshear, has signed the ‘Bitcoin Rights’ bill into law. The law promises to safeguard protections for Bitcoin (BTC) users.
Bitcoin Rights Bill Comes Into Effect
Crypto regulations continue to evolve under pro-crypto US President Donald Trump’s administration. In the latest development, Kentucky has become the newest state to enshrine protections for digital asset users.
In an X post published on March 24, crypto advocacy group Satoshi Action Fund announced that Governor Beshear had signed the much-anticipated Bitcoin Rights bill into law. The post stated:
The right to self-custody, run a node, and use of digital assets is now protected for millions of Americans without fear of discrimination.
The bill was first introduced to the Kentucky House by Rep. Adam Bowling on February 19. According to the bill’s description, it seeks to safeguard users’ rights to use digital assets and self-custody wallets. Additionally, it aims to prohibit local zoning changes that discriminate against crypto mining operations.
The legislation outlines guidelines for running a digital asset node and excludes digital asset mining from money transmitter license requirements. It also clarifies that crypto mining or staking is not considered an offer or sale of securities.
On February 28, the bill passed Kentucky’s House of Representatives with a unanimous vote of all 91 representatives in favor. It later passed the Kentucky Senate on March 13, receiving backing from all 37 senators.
Kentucky’s proactive stance toward cryptocurrencies isn’t new. Earlier this year, the state became the 16th US state to introduce legislation seeking to create a Bitcoin strategic reserve.
Meanwhile, neighboring state Arizona is also joining the crypto movement. A recent X post by Bitcoin Laws revealed that Arizona’s House Rules Committee has passed two Bitcoin reserve bills — SB1373 and SB1025. These bills will now head to a full floor vote.
Renewed Optimism Under Trump Administration
Following Trump’s victory in the November presidential election, cryptocurrency regulations in the US are evolving rapidly, with many states introducing legislation aimed at strengthening their digital asset ecosystems and attracting crypto businesses.
Positive changes in crypto regulations are encouraging industry businesses to expand. For instance, leading crypto trading platform Coinbase recently announced plans to hire 1,000 employees in the US.
The Trump administration has also witnessed several lawsuits being dropped against major crypto entities, including Kraken, Coinbase, Gemini, and others. At press time, Bitcoin trades at $87,399, down 0.2% in the past 24 hours.
Featured Image from Unsplash.com, chart from TradingView.com
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