Digital Asset Law News

Daren Li Sentenced to 20 Years in $73M Crypto Scam Feburary 11, 2026 In a striking development that underscores the escalating risks in the digital asset space, the U.S. Department of Justice has secured a significant victory against international cryptocurrency fraud. On February 9, 2026, Daren Li, a 42-year-old dual national of China and St. […]

SEC 2026 Tokenized Securities Guidance Explained January 29, 2026 On January 28, 2026, the Securities and Exchange Commission issued an important statement clarifying how federal securities laws apply to tokenized securities. This guidance, released by the Divisions of Corporation Finance, Investment Management, and Trading and Markets, underscores that the format of a security whether traditional

U.S. Seeks Forfeiture of $5.68M USDT in Pig Butchering Scam January 27, 2026 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. 5,680,000 USDT TOKENS STORED WITHIN VIRTUAL CURRENCY ADDRESS 0x7f6Ed26BB1488D1b420E10D722ef8bDf7D845B31 THAT ARE IN THE CUSTODY OR CONTROL OF THE UNITED STATES MARSHALS SERVICE The United States filed a verified civil forfeiture complaint (Case No. 2:26-cv-00087) in the District

CFTC and SEC to Hold Event on Crypto Harmonization January 22, 2026 SEC – CFTC Harmonization: U.S. Financial Leadership in the Crypto Era Location: CFTC Headquarters Conference Center Three Lafayette Centre 1155 21st Street N.W. Washington, D.C. 20581  When: Tuesday, January 27 10:00 am – 11:00 am ET Full Press Release Here The post “CFTC

Chair Atkins Describes the SEC Approach to Digital Assets November 14, 2025 On November 12, 2025, SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins delivered a speech at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, detailing the agency’s strategy for digital assets under “Project Crypto.” Atkins highlighted that Project Crypto extends the foundational efforts of Commissioner Hester Peirce, whose

Crypto Task Force Remarks of SEC Chair Atkins June 9, 2025 SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins, in a speech titled “DeFi and the American Spirit,” linked DeFi to values like economic liberty and innovation, praising blockchains for enabling peer-to-peer crypto ownership. He criticized past discouragement of participation, welcomed recent clarifications on staking not being securities,

SEC Issues Protocol Staking Activity Statement May 30, 2025 The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Division of Corporation Finance issued a statement on May 29, 2025, clarifying the application of federal securities laws to specific crypto asset staking activities on proof-of-stake (PoS) networks. Summary of the SEC Division of Corporation Finance’s Statement on Certain

CFTC Awards 700 Thousand Dollars to Whistleblower May 29, 2025 On May 29, 2025, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced a whistleblower award of approximately $700,000 to a single whistleblower, underscoring the critical role of whistleblowers in enforcing regulations within commodity markets, including emerging areas like digital assets. Whistleblower Program Background The CFTC Whistleblower

Commissioner Peirce on SEC Crypto FAQs May 15, 2025 On May 15, 2025, SEC Commissioner Hester M. Peirce commented on the Division of Trading and Markets’ newly issued FAQs addressing digital assets. The FAQs clarify the application of financial responsibility rules, such as Rule 15c3-3, noting that non-security crypto assets held by broker-dealers are exempt

SEC Awards 6 Million to Joint Whistleblowers April 22, 2025 On April 21, 2025, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced a significant award of approximately $6 million to joint whistleblowers, highlighting the critical role these individuals play in enforcing securities laws. This award, detailed in a recent SEC Press Release and SEC Order