Amid a turbulent week for the cryptocurrency market, marked by a persistent price downturn, a series of SEC lawsuits against exchanges, and the delisting of select tokens, investors are grappling with heightened uncertainty. Bitcoin, the flagship cryptocurrency, struggled to maintain stability as it traded at around $25,970, reflecting a decline of 3% in the last seven days. Similarly, Ethereum faced headwinds, hovering at approximately $1,747, down 6.42% over the same period. However, cryptocurrencies like Solana (SOL), Cardano (ADA), Polygon ($MATIC), Optimism (OP), and other altcoins have fallen by about 20%.

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The catalyst for this recent market turmoil came when Robinhood Markets, a prominent institution, announced the impending delisting of Solana, Cardano, and Polygon, effective June 27. This move compounded the already fragile sentiment among investors. The real bombshell arrived earlier in the week when the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) initiated lawsuits against major exchanges such as Binance Holdings Ltd and Coinbase.

The repercussions of these regulatory actions have already begun to unfold, with Binance.US suspending U.S. dollar deposits and its banking partners preparing to pause fiat dollar withdrawal channels as early as June 13.

As we delve deeper into the causes and consequences of the recent market downturn, this article examines how the SEC lawsuits against exchanges and the subsequent delistings have created uncertainty and impacted investor sentiment.

‍SEC Lawsuits Unveil Regulatory Challenges

The recent legal actions stem from allegations of selling unregistered securities, with the SEC aiming to protect investors, enforce regulatory compliance, and address potential securities violations.

In the case of Binance, the SEC’s lawsuit goes beyond accusations of unregistered securities sales. The regulatory agency also asserts that Binance engaged in market manipulation and fraud. The 136-page complaint filed in federal court outlines a web of deception allegedly orchestrated by Binance, its CEO Zhao Changpeng, BAM Trading, and BAM Management US Holdings. The charges against them include breaches of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, two key U.S. laws governing securities.

Coinbase, the largest cryptocurrency platform in the United States, also found itself in the crosshairs of the SEC. The regulatory agency sued Coinbase for selling unregistered securities, mirroring the allegations brought against Binance.

The SEC labeled the following tokens as securities in its lawsuit against Binance: Cosmos (ATOM), Binance Coin (BNB), Binance USD (BUSD), and COTI (COTI).

Meanwhile, in Coinbase’s SEC lawsuit, these cryptos were referred to as securities: Chiliz (CHZ), Near (NEAR), Flow (FLOW), Internet Computer (ICP), Voyager Token (VGX), Dash (DASH), and Nexo (NEXO). Additionally, these tokens traded on both Binance and Coinbase were classified as securities: Solana (SOL), Cardano (ADA), Polygon (MATIC), Filecoin (FIL), The Sandbox (SAND), Decentraland (MANA), Algorand (ALGO) and Axie Infinity (AXS).

urthermore, Crypto.com announced the closure of its institutional exchange, citing a lack of demand due to the market landscape in the U.S. This decision reflects the challenges faced by crypto companies as institutional investors, including pension funds, mutual funds, and university endowments, have grown cautious amid the volatile market conditions and regulatory scrutiny.

‍Impact of the SEC Lawsuits

These lawsuits and their subsequent impact have triggered a chain reaction in the industry. Binance.US, in response to the SEC’s actions, announced the suspension of U.S. dollar deposits and anticipated the suspension of U.S. dollar withdrawals. Binance cited challenges imposed by the SEC on their banking partners, resulting in the interruption of fiat withdrawal channels.

In addition, the popular trading app Robinhood decided to delist cryptocurrency tokens that the SEC classified as unregistered securities. Tokens such as Cardano (ADA), Polygon (MATIC), and Solana (SOL) will no longer be supported on the platform after June 27. 

SEC’s Altcoin Classification May Impact Market Access

SEC Chair Gary Gensler has been vocal about his belief that most cryptocurrencies should be classified as securities, invoking the Howey Test as the basis for this classification. The Howey Test derives from a landmark 1946 Supreme Court ruling in the SEC v. W.J. Howey Co. According to this test, a transaction is considered a security if it involves an investment of money, an expectation of profits, a common enterprise, and the generation of profits through the efforts of others.

Classifying altcoins as securities has significant implications for the affected digital assets. Firstly, compliance with securities laws becomes paramount, requiring these altcoins and their issuers to adhere to stringent regulatory requirements. This includes registering with the SEC, providing necessary disclosures, and complying with reporting obligations.

With the recent lawsuits targeting tokens like SOL, ADA, and MATIC, there is a possibility that more exchanges and issuers may face similar legal challenges. This could lead to a wave of delistings and a decline in market confidence as investors become more cautious.

While SEC lawsuits and delistings may have influenced the recent market downturn, some analysts believe it is part of the normal market cycle for cryptocurrencies. Some highlight that despite ongoing legal battles, certain coins like XRP continue to trade, demonstrating resilience in the face of regulatory challenges.

take from: https://www.bsc.news/