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SEC Needs Clear Authority Over Crypto Platforms, Gensler Says

The SEC chair spoke of the agency's desire to "stitch together" consumer protection for tokens sold as securities and tokens sold as commodities.

Updated Sep 14, 2021, 1:35 p.m. Published Aug 4, 2021, 1:34 p.m.
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The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) needs clear authority over platforms that trade or lend crypto, Chair Gary Gensler said.

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  • Talking to CNBC's Squawk Box Wednesday, the SEC chief spoke of the agency's desire to "stitch together" consumer protection on platforms that offer lending or trading of both tokens sold as securities, and tokens sold as commodities.
  • Gensler said many crypto trading and lending platforms are "standing astride regulation," given this nuance.
  • "If they're trading securities, I'm encouraging them to come in and have a frank discussion," Gensler said, suggesting that many platforms are reticent to do so.
  • Asked about how the desire for robust regulation would naturally clash with bitcoin's original ethos of outsider money, Gensler praised the "off the grid, libertarian" values of crypto, but stressed the importance of preventing fraud, terrorism and other crime, citing the recent attack on Colonial Pipeline as an example.

Read more: SEC Chairman Gensler Agrees With Predecessor: ‘Every ICO Is a Security’

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Pudgy Penguins: A New Blueprint for Tokenized Culture

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

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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.

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Bitcoin, ether extend declines as leverage unwind accelerates: Crypto Markets Today

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Crypto markets fell further overnight as bitcoin and ether extended losses, metals tumbled and liquidation pressure hit leveraged traders across derivatives markets.

What to know:

  • Bitcoin and ether extended declines as the crypto market compounded Thursday's selloff.
  • Silver and gold also fell, adding to broader market weakness alongside a firmer dollar.
  • Crypto liquidations hit $1.8 billion, while bitcoin dominance slipped as traders rotated into riskier altcoins.