SEC v. Binance lawsuit: Federal Judge calls for court review of whether digital assets are securities

The latest development in the SEC v. Binance lawsuit is that Federal Judge Amy Berman Jackson has ordered a court review of whether digital assets and staking products are securities. 

Among all cryptocurrencies, XRP is the only one with legal clarity, as of Judge Analisa Torres’ ruling on the SEC v. Ripple lawsuit, in July 2023. The outcome of the SEC v. Binance lawsuit is expected to throw light on “security” status for cryptocurrencies. 

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SEC v. Binance lawsuit update

According to a court filing on January 18, the SEC v. Binance lawsuit that was filed in June 2023 has dragged on. The judge overseeing the lawsuit is keen on hearing arguments from both sides on whether digital assets are securities, whether they are securities in “perpetuity” and SEC’s allegations against the cryptocurrency exchange. 

Binance’s lawyers are expected to defend against the SEC’s allegations and shed light on the US financial regulator’s treatment of cryptocurrencies within the current regulatory framework. 

Judge Jackson intends to find out whether the regulator misunderstands the meaning of “scheme” in the Howey test. 

The Judge’s decision will likely answer two major questions for market participants. 

• Whether digital assets are securities? (XRP is the only one that isn’t a security in exchange transactions or secondary sales, according to a previous court ruling).
• Are crypto staking products securities?

The outcome of the lawsuit is expected to help determine whether the regulator’s regulation by litigation is the right approach to crypto.