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SEC BOSS ISSUES WARNING TO CRYPTO EXCHANGES

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Gary Gensler has warned so-called crypto exchanges that they must follow rules.

The SEC is currently engaged in legal battles with such major exchanges as Coinbase, Kraken, and Binance.  During a Wednesday interview with CNBC, Gensler stressed that the SEC would keep protecting the investing public.

"This is a field that is rife with fraudsters and scammers, and grifters," Gensler stressed.  

The SEC boss pointed to the fact that some of the biggest crypto figures from 2022 are now either in jail or awaiting extradition. Gensler, of course, was alluding to former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao, and Terra co-founder Do Kwon.  

The rules are clear  

Gensler has also stated that there was "nothing incompatible" about the field and basic protections in the securities laws.  

"If you store something on an accounting ledger…investors still need to have basic protections," he added.

While many industry leaders have been clamoring for regulatory clarity, Gensler is convinced that there is already enough regulatory clarity, arguing that the securities laws that have worked for 90 years.

The SEC's anti-crypto policies have been criticized by some lawmakers from both parties. However, the agency's approach also has some proponents on Capitol Hill. Case in point: Elizabeth Warren.

@ Newshounds News™

Source:  U Today

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US LAWMAKERS DEMAND ANSWERS FROM GARY GENSLER ON SEC’S POSITION THAT CRYPTO AIRDROPS ARE SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS

Two crypto-friendly US lawmakers want U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler to clarify the regulator’s position on airdrops.

In a public letter sent to Gensler this week, Representatives Patrick McHenry (R-North Carolina) and Tom Emmer (R-Minnesota) argue that the SEC’s regulatory approach inhibits decentralization in the crypto space.

“By creating a hostile regulatory environment, including making assertions about airdrops in various cases and increasing warnings for additional enforcement actions, the SEC is putting its thumb on the scale and precluding American citizens from shaping the next iteration of the internet.”

The lawmakers cited the SEC’s 2023 lawsuit against crypto mogul Justin Sun, the Tron Foundation, BitTorrent Foundation and Rainberry Inc (formerly known as BitTorrent). The regulator accused the defendants of offering and selling unregistered crypto securities, namely TRX and BitTorrent (BTT).

The SEC specifically claimed Sun, BitTorrent and Rainberry sold BTT in “unregistered monthly airdrops to investors,” which the regulator argued violated securities laws. The lawsuit is ongoing.

Emmer and McHenry want Gensler to clarify how airdrops fit in with the Howey Test, an assessment created by the Supreme Court more than 90 years ago to determine whether assets should be classified as securities.

“In recent court filings, the SEC has taken the position that digital assets, in and of themselves, are not securities. Does the SEC believe that giving away non-security digital assets for free implicates the Howey Test? If so, under what circumstances or arrangements?

Companies routinely offer rewards to customers through intangible representations of value, such as airline miles or credit card points, without implicating the Howey Test.

 These rewards are distributed freely to encourage engagement, just as airdrops aim to engage users and developers in the blockchain network’s growth and decentralization. How does the SEC distinguish between these rewards, given away for free, and digital assets airdropped to an individual?”

The Republican lawmakers asked for a response by September 30th.

@ Newshounds News™

Source:  DailyHodl

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LOUISIANA ACCEPTS FIRST CRYPTOCURRENCY PAYMENT FOR STATE SERVICES

Louisiana became the first U.S. state to accept cryptocurrency for government services on September 17, 2024, according to a press release from Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming. Residents can now pay using bitcoin, BitcoinBitcoin +6.4% Lightning, and USD Coin from private crypto wallets.

The first cryptocurrency payment was processed on September 17, 2024 by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. The state is partnering with Bead Pay, a cryptocurrency payment processor, to convert incoming crypto payments into U.S. dollars before depositing them into state accounts.

"By introducing cryptocurrency as a payment option, we're not just innovating; we're providing our citizens with flexibility and freedom in interacting with state services," Fleming said in a statement.

Key benefits of the new system, according to the state treasury, include:

▪️Reduced fraudulent transactions

▪️Protection from cryptocurrency price volatility

▪️Compatibility with any digital wallet supporting the accepted cryptocurrencies

▪️The state receives all payments in U.S. dollars


This development comes three months after Louisiana passed House Bill 488, which was signed into law on June 19, 2024. According to a Forbes article by Susie Violet Ward, HB 488 established legal protections for bitcoin users and miners, while banning the use of Central Bank Digital Currencies for state payments.

The bill included provisions for the right to self-custody digital assets, transactional freedom with bitcoin, support for bitcoin mining in industrial areas, and a ban on CBDCs. Representative Mark Wright, who sponsored the bill, told Ward, "It's important to me that we create a welcome economic environment for innovation and investment." 

The acceptance of cryptocurrency payments for state services appears to be a practical implementation of the pro-cryptocurrency stance Louisiana took with HB 488.

@ Newshounds News™

Read more:  Forbes

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LOUISIANA ISN'T THE ONLY US STATE TO ACCEPT BITCOIN PAYMENTS—HERE ARE THE OTHERS

The state has already received a fine paid to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries via the Bitcoin Lightning Network.

The government of Louisiana has officially begun accepting cryptocurrency payments, making it the latest U.S. state to embrace digital currencies for state services.

Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming announced earlier this week that residents can now use a number of digital assets as payment for various state services. Residents can now pay using Bitcoin (BTC), the Bitcoin Lightning Network, and the U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin USDC.

The state said its first cryptocurrency payment has already been processed—a fine paid to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries via the Bitcoin Lightning Network.

According to Fleming, this development results from a collaboration between the state, Bead Pay, and local integration partners. He stated that the initiative aims to modernize payment systems and reduce fraudulent transactions.

"In today’s digital age, government systems must evolve and embrace new technologies," Fleming said. "By introducing cryptocurrency as a payment option, we’re not just innovating; we’re providing our citizens with flexibility and freedom in interacting with state services."

Other U.S. States Accepting Crypto Payments
Louisiana joins a growing list of states exploring the integration of cryptocurrency into government operations.

In 2018, Ohio started accepting cryptocurrency for tax payments through its now-defunct platform OhioCrypto.com. Businesses could pay 23 types of taxes using Bitcoin, which was converted to dollars via BitPay before reaching state coffers.

However, in 2019, the Ohio Attorney General declared that the state treasurer lacked the authority to operate the program without proper approval from the Board of Deposit and had not followed required bidding processes for payment processors. As a result, the initiative was shut down within a year, having been utilized by fewer than 10 companies.

Also 2018, the Seminole County Tax Office in Florida started accepting crypto payments through BitPay. The county tax collector was later found to have used public funds to finance his own blockchain company and was indicted by the Justice Department.

That was not the last initiative of this kind in the state. In March 2022, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis promised that state agencies would allow businesses to make tax payments in cryptocurrency. This initiative aimed to promote Florida as a crypto-friendly state and encourage innovation in financial technology.

The same year, Colorado announced that it would begin accepting tax payments in cryptocurrency, requiring residents to “have the entire value of your invoice in a single cryptocurrency in your PayPal Cryptocurrencies Hub.”

Building on the 2022 momentum, in June 2024, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) introduced a bill that would permit Americans to settle their federal income tax obligations using Bitcoin.

Gaetz stated that modernizing the tax system to include cryptocurrency payments would promote innovation, increase efficiency, and help maintain the United States' leadership in technological advancement.

In 2022, Utah also passed a bill allowing state government agencies to accept cryptocurrency for tax payments starting in 2023. A 2022 Bloomberg report listed Arizona, California, Hawaii, Illinois, New York, Oklahoma, and Wyoming as legislatures that introduced similar proposals that never came into effect.

While not directly accepting cryptocurrency payments, California has also shown interest in blockchain technology. In early, 2023 the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) began utilizing blockchain as an unfalsifiable database for its records. This move aimed to enhance the security and efficiency of record-keeping within the state's motor vehicle registry.

@ Newshounds News™

Source:  Decrypt

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