Schlagwort: crypto regulation

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SEC drops its case against MetaMask, Consensys says

  • Consensys has announced the SEC will drop its case against MetaMask.
  • The regulator sued the company over the wallet’s staking feature, alleging securities violations.
  • SEC has dropped investigations or cases against Coinbase, Gemini, Robinhood, Uniswap.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission has agreed to drop its case against MetaMask, Consensys founder Joseph Lubin said.

In an announcement posted on X, the Ethereum co-founder noted the regulator and Consensys had agreed to terminate the legal tussle that SEC brought by suing the wallet provider.

“I’m pleased to announce that Consensys and the SEC have agreed in principle that the securities enforcement case concerning MetaMask should be dismissed.  Subject to the approval of the Commission, the SEC will file a stipulation with the court that effectively closes the case,” he noted.

The SEC sued Consensys in June 2023, claiming that the company’s staking service via MetaMask violated the US securities laws.

SEC drops numerous crypto lawsuits, probes

Consensys filed a lawsuit against the regulator in April, with the company’s legal team alleging overreach as the SEC reportedly commenced an investigation against Ethereum and for its probe into MetaMask. Per Consensys, the SEC has erred in alleging that Ethereum (ETH) was a security.

The latest move by the SEC adds to a series of developments that have seen it end investigations or drop several cases. It includes legal tussles against Coinbase and Gemini,  and investigations against Uniswap, Robinhood and Opensea.

SEC is taking this direction as the new leadership post-Gary Gensler strikes a pro-crypto and pro-innovation stance.

“We appreciate the SEC’s new leadership and the pro-innovation, pro-investor path they are taking. We will remain deeply engaged with public and private policymakers going forward.

Crypto wants the U.S. to address the best interests of consumers and businesses alike, and we are already on our way to making that happen,” Lubin added.

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Montana house representatives reject Bitcoin reserve bill

  • Montana House has rejected the Bitcoin reserve bill.
  • The Bitcoin reserve bill aimed for $50M in crypto.
  • The house cited risk to taxpayer funds.

On February 22, 2025, Montana’s House of Representatives decisively voted down House Bill No. 429, a proposal that aimed to establish Bitcoin (BTC) as a state reserve asset.

The 41-59 vote marked a significant setback for advocates of integrating cryptocurrency into Montana’s financial strategy, highlighting a deep divide over the role of digital assets in public finance.

Introduced by Representative Curtis Schomer earlier in February, the bill sought to diversify the state’s investment portfolio by creating a special revenue account. This account would have allowed the state treasurer to allocate up to $50 million for investments in stablecoins, precious metals, and cryptocurrencies with a market capitalization exceeding $750 billion over the past year, a threshold currently met only by Bitcoin.

Supporters argued that such a move could yield higher returns than traditional bond investments, positioning Montana as a forward-thinking player in the evolving financial landscape.

Montana house representatives wary of risks involved

Despite clearing the House Business and Labor Committee on February 19 with a 12-8 vote, backed by Republicans and opposed by Democrats, the bill faced stiff resistance during its second reading in the House.

Fiscal conservatives, including many Republicans, voiced concerns over the speculative nature of Bitcoin, emphasizing the state’s duty to protect taxpayer money.

Representative Steven Kelly captured this sentiment during the House Floor Session, stating, “It’s still taxpayer money, and we’re responsible for it. We need to protect it. These types of investments are way too risky.”

Representative Jane Gillette echoed these doubts, pointing out that the bill lacked clear guidelines on how the funds would be managed, while Representative Bill Mercer warned that Bitcoin’s history of dramatic price swings made it an imprudent choice for public funds.

On the other side, advocates like Representative Lee Demming argued that embracing digital assets could safeguard Montana’s reserves against inflation and bolster long-term financial growth, a perspective shared by Bitcoin proponents nationwide.

The rejection of HB 429 effectively kills the proposal for now, requiring any future efforts to start anew in Montana’s legislature.

US states push for Bitcoin reserves

Montana’s decision stands in contrast to a growing trend among US states exploring Bitcoin as a reserve asset.

Approximately 24 states, including Utah, Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas, and Ohio, have introduced similar legislation, with Utah’s HB230 making the most progress by allowing up to 5% of public funds to be invested in digital assets.

Nationally and globally, the push for Bitcoin reserves is gaining traction, with countries like Switzerland, Brazil, Japan, and Russia also weighing the cryptocurrency’s potential as a strategic asset.

Dennis Porter, CEO of the Satoshi Action Fund, which collaborated with Montana legislators like Schomer and Senator Daniel Zolnikov, expressed disappointment with Montana’s move but remained optimistic about the broader movement. He noted that Bitcoin’s decentralized structure and limited supply make it an attractive hedge against economic uncertainty.

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SEC drops investigation into Robinhood Crypto

  • Robinhood says the SEC has ended the regulator’s probe into Robinhood Crypto.
  • SEC issued a Wells Notice to Robinhood Crypto in May 2024.
  • SEC’s closing of the Robinhood Crypto investigation comes days after the agency closed a similar probe against Opensea.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission has dropped its investigation into Robinhood’s digital assets arm.

Robinhood announced via blog post on Monday, Feb. 24 that the SEC has closed its enforcement action probe against the company.

“We applaud the staff’s decision to close this investigation with no action,” said Dan Gallagher, chief legal officer of Robinhood Markets.

The SEC’s decision to end its investigation into Robinhood comes just days after another platform, Opensea, said the regulator was ending its probe.

Both Robinhood and Opensea received ‘Wells Notices’ from the SEC in 2024.

Last week, crypto exchange Coinbase also announced the regulator had agreed to dismiss the lawsuit it had filed against the US-based company in 2023.

SEC closes Robinhood probe

In the blog post on Monday, Robinhood said it received communication from the SEC’s Enforcement Division on Friday, Feb. 21.

The letter detailed the agency’s decision to end the investigation into Robinhood Crypto, with no further action. SEC’s Wells Notice alleged potential securities laws violations by the trading platform.

However, Robinhood maintained it had not violated any securities laws and did not offer securities to users.

“This investigation never should have been opened,” Gallagher added. “Robinhood Crypto always has and will always respect federal securities laws and never allowed transactions in securities. As we explained to the SEC, any case against Robinhood Crypto would have failed. We appreciate the formal closing of this investigation, and we are happy to see a return to the rule of law and commitment to fairness at the SEC.”

The SEChas taken a more pro-crypto innovation stance since the exit of former chair Gary Gensler. President Donald Trump’s appointment of pro-crypto individuals into positions at the agency has helped this shift, including the establishment of a crypto task force by acting chair Mark Uyeda.

 

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The SEC mulls over XRP ETF applications as interest rises

  • The SEC has received six XRP ETF applications over the last several weeks as interest in traditional crypto investment vehicles continues rising
  • Coinshares sent a proposal for XRP and Litecoin ETFs while Grayscale sent one for XRP amid several proposals for Solana ETFs

The SEC has received no less than six applications for XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs) from major issuers like Canary Capital, Grayscale, Bitwise, WisdomTree, 21Shares, and Coinshares.

The latest application, Grayscale, began the 21-day comment period on Friday where members of the public can submit feedback on the proposed ETF.

While this happens, five Solana ETF applications from 21Shares, Bitwise, Grayscale, VanEck, and Canary await a decision.

The rise of interest in ETFs

The recent swarm of ETF applications is emblematic of a shift in the regulatory landscape to a more friendly environment. This shift began at the twilight of former Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chair Gary Gensler’s tenure with the approval of the Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs in 2024.

Now that Mark Uyeda, a pro-crypto official, is in office, combined with the most pro-crypto Congress the US has ever seen, the regulatory landscape is expected to be friendlier. Furthermore, Ripple Labs’ win against Gensler’s SEC has also placed it in a favourable growth position.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order to create a sovereign wealth fund that will include cryptocurrencies. While Bitcoin is expected to be on the list, recent developments may place XRP in the fund as well.

In January, Trump met with Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple, who is pushing for the sovereign wealth fund to contain more than one cryptocurrency, ideally XRP as well.

An XRP ETF approval could cement the crypto as a candidate for the reserve.

Ripple is the third largest crypto by market cap and trades at $2.48 as of publishing.

Litecoin ETF approval

Despite this, Bloomberg ETF analysts James Seyffart and Eric Balchunas believe that a Litecoin ETF has a 90% chance of being approved in 2025.

In a post on X, the pair mainly focused on Dogecoin, Litecoin, Solana, and XRP. In their view, Dogecoin ETF has a 75% chance of approval, a Solana ETF has a 70% chance, and an XRP ETF has a 65% approval rating.

Seyffart added that it’s unlikely the market will see an XRP ETF until the whole Ripple/XRP/SEC case is settled, finished, or has some sort of outcome.

“The SEC needs to untangle that mess,” he said.

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Coinbase scores major win as SEC set to drop lawsuit

  • Coinbase says the SEC has agreed to dismiss its lawsuit against the US-based crypto exchange.
  • The SEC sued Coinbase in 2023 but with Gary Gensler’s exit, the regulator is eyeing better regulatory approach.

US-based crypto exchange Coinbase is set for a landmark development after the Securities and Exchange Commission reportedly agreed to dismiss its own lawsuit against the exchange.

Coinbase announced the huge news in a blog post on Friday, Feb. 21. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong also shared the development in an interview with CNBC’s Squawk Box.

“SEC staff has agreed in principle to dismiss its unlawful enforcement case against Coinbase, subject to Commissioner approval – righting a major wrong,” Coinbase chief legal officer Paul Grewal wrote.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong also shared the news via X.

SEC vs. Coinbase ending

According to the exchange, the regulator’s decision to withdraw the case follows a settlement that does not involve any financial penalty against Coinbase. The next move is for the SEC commissioners to ratify the agreement and end a major legal hurdle that set the US crypto market back.

“While dismissal will be a major win for the rule of law – and a clear vindication of our position – most of all it will be a win for the entire industry and the 52 million Americans who have owned a digital asset,” Grewal added.

The SEC filed its lawsuit against Coinbase in 2023, accusing the exchange of operating an unregistered securities exchange. The lawsuit also included allegations of offering unregistered securities.

Coinbase contested the charges and sought a dismissal, with industry players criticizing then SEC Chair Gary Gensler of overreach amid regulation by enforcement approach.Notably, the SEC had also sued Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange by trading volume. Other exchanges to come into the “rogue” agency’s cross-hairs is Kraken.

However, things at the securities watchdog have taken a crypto-friendly turn since Donald Trump’s election and the exit of Gensler and other Commissioners.

Acting chair Mark Uyeda has formed a crypto task force and renamed an enforcement unit amid the quest to balance compliance and the need to protect investors.

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