One of the most high-profile enforcement actions taken by the SEC in the cryptocurrency industry was against Ripple Labs in 2020¹. The SEC alleged that XRP, the cryptocurrency used by Ripple, was an unregistered security and that Ripple had conducted an unregistered securities offering². The SEC's lawsuit against Ripple is ongoing, but it has already had significant implications for the cryptocurrency industry, with some exchanges delisting XRP and investors selling off their holdings³ ⁴ ⁷.
The SEC has taken a number of enforcement actions against companies and individuals involved in the cryptocurrency industry. These enforcement actions are designed to protect investors and ensure compliance with SEC regulations.
The SEC has also taken enforcement actions against ICOs, which have been a popular method for raising funds in the cryptocurrency industry. In 2018, the SEC launched a crackdown on ICOs⁹, issuing subpoenas to a number of companies¹⁰ and individuals¹² involved in the industry¹¹. The SEC alleged that many ICOs were unregistered securities offerings and that the companies and individuals involved had violated securities laws.
In addition to enforcement actions against companies and individuals, the SEC has also taken action against cryptocurrency exchanges. In 2018, the SEC charged two cryptocurrency exchanges, EtherDelta and TokenLot, with operating unregistered securities exchanges. Both exchanges settled with the SEC, with EtherDelta paying $400,000 in fines and TokenLot paying $471,000 in fines and disgorgement.