Eighteen U.S. states have sued the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and its head, Gary Gensler, saying that the SEC’s actions against the cryptocurrency business are against the Constitution. The states, such as Kentucky, Texas, and Florida, say that the SEC is abusing its power by controlling digital assets without clear permission from Congress.
It was filed in Kentucky and says that the SEC’s attempts to regulate crypto platforms like exchanges and companies that make digital assets hurt states’ rights to control their own economies. The states assert that Gensler’s classification of most cryptocurrencies as securities has resulted in numerous costly enforcement actions, hindering the industry’s growth and innovation. Some individuals have expressed that the lack of clarity in the SEC’s regulatory actions has led to confusion and uncertainty among crypto firms.
The DeFi Education Fund is the driving force behind this case. This is a group that wants better rules for decentralized finance. It aims to stop the SEC from taking more legal action against crypto companies unless Congress gives it greater permission.
Gary Gensler has defended the SEC’s actions despite the ongoing lawsuit, asserting that securities law covers many digital assets. But the pushback from state leaders and the crypto industry as a whole shows that there is growing disagreement over how to control this quickly changing field.
The outcome of this case could alter the balance of power between the federal and state governments, which could significantly impact future crypto regulations in the U.S.