Ripple’s Legal Chief Criticizes SEC’s Regulatory Approach, Redesigns Agency Logo

Ripple’s Chief Legal Officer, Stuart Alderoty, has publicly criticized the U.S. SEC for its inconsistent approach to cryptocurrency regulation. 

His latest comments come amid growing frustration within the crypto industry regarding the lack of clear regulatory guidance from the SEC, even after multiple enforcement actions against various crypto entities.

Inconsistent Regulatory Language

Alderoty’s criticism was sparked by the SEC’s recent investor alert, which reissued warnings about cryptocurrency-related scams. Notably, the SEC’s alert highlighted various emerging fraud schemes, including “pig butchering” scams, where victims are tricked into investing in fake crypto assets. 

So the SEC finally admits that 1/ "crypto asset security" is a made up term and 2/ to prove a "crypto asset security" is an investment contract, the SEC needs evidence of a bundle of "contracts, expectations, and understandings"?

Think it's time for @SECgov to admit it has… https://t.co/iJIYTnNvxs pic.twitter.com/E58Pft7irc

— Stuart Alderoty (@s_alderoty) September 13, 2024

However, Alderoty pointed out a significant inconsistency in the SEC’s communication: The agency has seemingly dropped the phrase “crypto asset security” that the agency had used in the past in its regulatory context. Alderoty said that this shift only complicates the already unclear position of the SEC on the matter of digital assets classification. 

The shift in terminology is seen as emblematic of the broader issues the crypto industry faces in dealing with the SEC. The lack of a consistent framework for defining and regulating crypto assets has left many industry participants uncertain about how to comply with existing laws. 

Critique of SEC’s Investor Alert

Alderoty’s criticism did not end at the SEC’s contradictory language. He also pointed to what he sees as the agency’s overregulation, saying that the agency has made the process unnecessarily complicated.

In his social media post, Alderoty pointed to the most recent investor alert from the SEC as an example of how the agency’s guidance can be more confusing than informative. The SEC’s alert which is a warning to investors against possible fraud has raised eyebrows given the time it was released. 

It occurred shortly after the agency settled with eToro trading platform, which stated that Ethereum is not a security. This decision has sparked more discussions within the crypto community regarding the SEC’s stance on categorizing crypto assets especially with the SEC’s ongoing legal battles against other digital assets classified as securities.

Visual Criticism: The Pretzel Logo

Not only did Alderoty use verbal criticism, but he also used a visual aid to support his argument. He posted a photo on the social media site where the SEC logo was drawn as a pretzel. This image captures Alderoty’s perception that the SEC’s regulatory process has become more complex and strenuous. 

The current issues surrounding the relations between the SEC and the crypto industry are a clear illustration of the regulatory issues faced by digital assets. While the SEC remains committed to enforcing its regulatory authority, market participants are left trying to navigate through a highly volatile and sometimes contradictory legal landscape.