Share this article

Cardano Developer Rejects SEC Claim Its ADA Token Is a Security

“Under no circumstances is ADA a security under U.S. securities laws,” IOG said in a release.

Updated Jun 9, 2023, 6:24 p.m. Published Jun 9, 2023, 8:51 a.m.
Photo of the SEC logo on a building wall
(Nikhilesh De/CoinDesk)

Cardano development company IOG dismissed U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) claims that ada (ADA), the blockchain's native token, can be viewed as a security.

IOG said SEC lawsuits filed earlier this week against crypto exchanges Binance and Coinbase, which included ADA in a list of crypto tokens that count as securities, contained “numerous factual inaccuracies.” The allegations will have no impact on IOG's operations, the company said in a Friday statement.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the State of Crypto Newsletter today. See all newsletters

“Under no circumstances is ADA a security under U.S. securities laws. It never has been,” IOG said. “Understanding how decentralized blockchains operate is a fundamental component in creating responsible legislation.”

Read More: Robinhood Ends Support for All Tokens Named in SEC Lawsuit as Securities

IOG said regulation through enforcement actions does not provide the necessary clarity or certainty that both the blockchain industry and consumers deserve.

The ADA price fell 3% in the past 24 hours as tokens named in the SEC lawsuit extended their sell-off as traders reacted to regulatory risk.

The SEC also identified tokens issued by foundations and companies or tied to protocols , Sandbox (SAND), Filecoin , Axie Infinity (AXS), , , , , Voyager (VGX), Dash and as securities.

Read More: Solana Foundation: SOL Is 'Not a Security'


More For You

Pudgy Penguins: A New Blueprint for Tokenized Culture

Pudgy Title Image

Pudgy Penguins is building a multi-vertical consumer IP platform — combining phygital products, games, NFTs and PENGU to monetize culture at scale.

What to know:

Pudgy Penguins is emerging as one of the strongest NFT-native brands of this cycle, shifting from speculative “digital luxury goods” into a multi-vertical consumer IP platform. Its strategy is to acquire users through mainstream channels first; toys, retail partnerships and viral media, then onboard them into Web3 through games, NFTs and the PENGU token.

The ecosystem now spans phygital products (> $13M retail sales and >1M units sold), games and experiences (Pudgy Party surpassed 500k downloads in two weeks), and a widely distributed token (airdropped to 6M+ wallets). While the market is currently pricing Pudgy at a premium relative to traditional IP peers, sustained success depends on execution across retail expansion, gaming adoption and deeper token utility.

More For You

Crypto faces fork in the road as Clarity Act support wavers, Bitwise says

Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan

The asset manager argued that without federal legislation, the industry has three years to become indispensable before political winds potentially shift.

What to know:

  • Bitwise said in a blog post Monday that Polymarket odds for the Clarity Act have fallen from 80% to 50% following industry pushback.
  • If the bill fails, Bitwise believes crypto must achieve mass adoption in stablecoins and tokenization to force a regulatory hand.
  • The firm anticipates a sharp rally upon the bill's passage, while a failure would likely lead to a "slower ascent" tied to proven utility.