Cases filed in the past year by the DOJ, CFTC, and SEC represent a new phase in the US government’s digital asset enforcement efforts. By Douglas K. Yatter, Matthew Valenti, and Deric Behar Expanding beyond their earlier focus on registration and compliance violations and retail fraud, enforcement agencies have also begun to address other types of … Continue Reading
The Financial Services Committee seeks to bring order to an industry many say has suffered from lack of proper rulemaking. By Stephen P. Wink, Nima H. Mohebbi, and Deric Behar On January 12, 2023, incoming House Financial Services Committee Chair Patrick McHenry established a new subcommittee on digital assets, financial technology, and inclusion. Rep. French Hill will … Continue Reading
While a conclusion to the much-hyped case may be approaching, market participants should be wary of doomsday prognostications. By Stephen P. Wink, Douglas K. Yatter, John Sikora, Benjamin Naftalis, William Baker, Jack Barber, Natalie DeLave, and Deric Behar As a new year begins, the digital assets industry is still enduring a deep and widespread crypto winter. When … Continue Reading
In granting the SEC’s motion for summary judgment, a federal court ruled that sales of LBC tokens were securities transactions. By Stephen P. Wink, Douglas K. Yatter, Jack McNeily, Benjamin Naftalis, Adam Zuckerman, and Deric Behar On November 7, 2022, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) prevailed in a motion for summary judgment against blockchain-based streaming and … Continue Reading
Unpacking three key competition issues for digital asset innovators and investors: M&A, interlocking directorates, and interoperability. By Kelly Fayne, Anna Rathbun, and Evan Omi In a sea of regulatory hurdles and issues, antitrust and competition laws may be low on the list of concerns of digital asset innovators and investors. But competition in the digital … Continue Reading
The plan directs the agency to develop a robust regulatory framework to prevent market misconduct, as SEC officials’ public comments keep advancements in technology high on the agenda. By Marlon Q. Paz, Stephen P. Wink, Donald Thompson, and Deric Behar On August 25, 2022, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) published a draft Strategic Plan (the … Continue Reading
The RFIA would enact a rebuttable presumption that an ancillary asset in connection with an investment contract is a commodity. By Marlon Q. Paz, Stephen P. Wink, Jenny Cieplak, and Deric Behar Latham & Watkins presents a blog series on the Responsible Financial Innovation Act, which was introduced in the US Senate on June 10, 2022, … Continue Reading
The RFIA is the most wide-ranging crypto bill yet. Latham & Watkins presents a blog series on the Responsible Financial Innovation Act, which was introduced in the US Senate on June 10, 2022, to create a framework for digital assets, cryptocurrency, and blockchain technology. On June 10, 2022, US Senators Cynthia Lummis from the Senate … Continue Reading
The amended definition could provide a new means for the SEC to regulate crypto platforms. By Stephen P. Wink, Marlon Q. Paz, Naim Culhaci, Ian Irlander, and Deric Behar We previously published a blog post on the set of proposed amendments (Proposal) issued on January 26, 2022, by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regarding … Continue Reading
The proposal would require certain systems and platforms currently not subject to any registration requirements to register as broker-dealers and ATSs. By Stephen P. Wink, Marlon Q. Paz, Naim Culhaci, and Deric Behar On January 26, 2022, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a set of proposed amendments (Proposal) regarding the regulation of alternative … Continue Reading
The SEC’s reliance on a nebulous US Supreme Court decision raises important questions for the future of decentralized finance. By Benjamin Naftalis, Douglas K. Yatter, and Peter E. Davis Reves v. Ernst & Young,[1] a 30-year-old US Supreme Court decision on farmers’ co-ops, is garnering attention in the Web3[2] world, specifically in the context of … Continue Reading
Popular and institutional interest in digital assets, decentralized applications, NFTs, and blockchain technology skyrocketed, and regulators sprinted to catch up. By Todd Beauchamp, Yvette D. Valdez, Stephen P. Wink , Adam Bruce Fovent, Adam Zuckerman, and Deric Behar For the digital asset markets, 2021 was a banner year. Among the milestones: • Bitcoin prices hit … Continue Reading
The Clarity for Digital Tokens Act of 2021 would give token issuers the guardrails they need to innovate with far less regulatory anxiety. By Stephen P. Wink and Deric Behar US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Commissioner Hester Peirce has always been something of a maverick. She has been a lone dissenting voice on the … Continue Reading
Gary Gensler asserts the SEC’s broad powers over digital assets, and puts consumer protection at the forefront. By Stephen P. Wink, Adam Zuckerman, and Deric Behar On August 3, 2021, Gary Gensler, chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), gave a speech on the digital asset industry. The speech offered some indication of … Continue Reading
SEC Commissioner Peirce has revived and refreshed her proposed three-year safe harbor for qualifying token projects, but some unresolved ambiguities remain. By Miles P. Jennings, Stephen P. Wink, Naim Culhaci, and Deric Behar US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Commissioner Hester Peirce, a longtime and vocal advocate for innovation in financial services, has not shied … Continue Reading
As the market for NFTs heats up, market participants should remain mindful of the regulatory implications of complex schemes. By Stephen P. Wink, Miles P. Jennings, Shaun Musuka, and Deric Behar As the current crypto boom has progressed, it seemed Decentralized Finance (DeFi) had cemented its position as the dominant new narrative of this cycle. … Continue Reading
Regulators once again offered piecemeal guidance, while focusing on risks and enforcement. Meanwhile, innovation and institutional adoption took off. By Stephen P. Wink, Todd Beauchamp, Yvette D. Valdez, Eric S. Volkman, Adam Bruce Fovent, and Deric Behar Last year, Latham & Watkins sounded a hopeful note that 2020 would provide a clearer vision than 2019 … Continue Reading
In a year-end change of course, the SEC identified the minimum steps that broker-dealers must take when acting as custodians of digital asset securities. By Stephen P. Wink, Naim Culhaci, Shaun Musuka, and Deric Behar On December 23, 2020, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) staff issued a statement (Custody of Digital Asset Securities … Continue Reading
The no-action letter is the first to expressly permit token transfer off-platform to non-users and conversion to fiat currency by token holders. By Stephen P. Wink, Shaun Musuka, and Deric Behar As crypto prices surge, we find ourselves in the midst of another crypto wave. Given the unrelenting flow of news that accompanies such periods, … Continue Reading
SEC relief streamlines noncustodial settlement of digital asset trades, but broker-dealer custody is still off-limits. By Stephen P. Wink, Naim Culhaci, and Deric Behar On September 25, 2020, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a no-action letter (the Letter) granting more leeway to registered alternative trading systems (ATSs) that settle trades involving digital … Continue Reading
The OCC greenlights bank custody of cryptoassets, opening a significant door to mainstream adoption and innovation. By Alan W. Avery, Todd Beauchamp, Yvette D. Valdez, Pia Naib, Loyal T. Horsley, Charles Weinstein, and Deric Behar On July 22, 2020, the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) issued Interpretive Letter #1170 (the Letter), … Continue Reading
The milestone fund structure portends a reduced role for broker-dealers, who may be sidelined by innovators unwilling to wait for regulators. By Stephen P. Wink and Deric Behar On July 6, 2020, asset management firm Arca announced that the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) granted it approval under the Investment Company Act of 1940 … Continue Reading
SEC’s motion for a preliminary injunction is granted, prohibiting delivery of Telegram tokens to purchasers. By Stephen P. Wink, Shaun Musuka, Carolina Bernal and Deric Behar On March 24, the Court in the Southern District of New York sided with the SEC and granted an injunction prohibiting Telegram Group Inc. and TON Issuer Inc. (together, Telegram) from delivering … Continue Reading
SEC Commissioner Peirce has proposed a three-year safe harbor for qualifying token projects, but regulatory clarity remains elusive. By Stephen P. Wink, Carolina Bernal, Shaun Musuka, and Deric Behar SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce has been a perennial advocate of innovation in the financial services and digital asset space. Continuing that tradition, she unveiled a Token … Continue Reading
