Eight state AGs in US challenge SEC's authority in Kraken lawsuit with joint amicus brief
Quick Take A group of eight U.S. state attorneys general filed a joint amicus brief on Thursday, arguing that the SEC’s enforcement action against the cryptocurrency exchange Kraken exceeded its delegated powers.
A group of attorneys general for eight U.S. states submitted a joint amicus brief on Thursday, arguing that the Securities and Exchange Commission’s lawsuit against Kraken exceeds the regulator’s authority.
In the joint filing, the attorneys general of Montana, Arkansas, Iowa, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Texas claimed that the amicus does not support either party but it “opposes the SEC’s regulation of crypto assets absent an investment contract because Congress has not delegated this authority to the SEC.”
The filing stated that the states have a strong interest in preventing the potential preemption of consumer protection and other state laws by the SEC’s attempt to regulate crypto assets as securities.
“The SEC’s enforcement action exceeds its delegated powers,” the filing added. “The court should reject categorizing crypto assets as securities absent an investment contract. The SEC’s exercise of this undelegated authority puts state consumers at risk by preempting state statutes better tailored to the specific risks of non-securities products.”
The amicus briefing follows Kraken’s motion last week to dismiss the SEC’s lawsuit. Kraken stated in a blog post that the SEC’s claim was flawed, as the regulator argued that the crypto exchange operates an unlicensed platform for “investment contracts” without identifying any “contract” between Kraken users and token issuers.
In November, the SEC filed a lawsuit against Kraken, accusing the crypto exchange of multiple charges, including operating without registration, failing to prevent known conflicts of interest, and commingling client funds.
Disclaimer: The content of this article solely reflects the author's opinion and does not represent the platform in any capacity. This article is not intended to serve as a reference for making investment decisions.
You may also like
Days Gone director speaks up after Sony cancels Bend Studio game
Share link:In this post: Days Gone director empathizes with Bend Studio developers. The director still wishes good for the studio despite quitting in 2020. His comments came after the cancellation of Bend Studio’s live-service project.
Ethereum Foundation prepares to join DeFi with 50,000 ETH
Share link:In this post: The Ethereum Foundation aims to find alternatives to selling ETH to cover expenses, looking into Aave lending. The Foundation received community feedback for being too conservative, instead seeking ways to secure passive income through staking or DeFi. The Ethereum Foundation has not funded new projects since 2023, after setting up grants for 17 crypto startups.
Ethereum Faces a Critical Test: Can Rollblock and XRP Lead the Next Rally?