Recently, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has beamed its searchlight on several crypto stakeholders in the crypto industry.
The modus operandi has been similar: crypto firms allegedly sell 'unregistered securities,' the SEC investigates them, and it ends with a Wells notice.
If a regulatory body like the SEC receives complaints about a crypto firm's dealings, they launch investigations.
At the end of the investigation, if they discover gross infractions, they send a letter explaining the broad nature of the firm's violation.
Furthermore, the letter will contain the nature of the enforcement proceedings that they would initiate against the recipient. This letter is called the 'Wells Notice.'
When it occurs, it means that such an entity is under the security and exchange commission's radar and is likely indicted after the investigation.
A Wells notice is mostly issued by SEC and other regulators, but it goes beyond sanctions.
Significantly, the recipient of a Wells Notice has the opportunity to clarify the issues raised against them or await civil action from the regulatory body.
It is intriguing that a letter of such severity is not always discussed or issued publicly.
It mostly stays between the regulator and the affected firm.
The SEC has been clamping down on crypto firms for allegedly selling 'unregistered securities.'
To the SEC, any stock that does not have an effective registration statement on file with them is considered unregistered. Therefore, if any crypto firm deals in such, it is selling unregistered securities.
The reason is that many times, unregistered securities (scams) are disguised as private offerings for unsuspecting investors, who are baited by fake promises into buying.
What's more? The Internet provides a great breeding ground for these securities to be sold, and clients obtained, as there is no barrier to communication or location.
To that end, the SEC has been hot on the heels of such companies, with numerous crypto firms falling victim: Paxos, the BUSD issuer and a couple of crypto exchanges; Kraken, Coinbase, Genesis, Gemini, etc.
What most of them did was to partner and deal in a product that wasn't registered as a securities offering.
Industry players have long been clamoring for regulatory clarity and strict sanctions against all stakeholders, mostly to root out the weed in the ecosystem.
Consequently, the issuance of multiple Wells Notices within two months shows that the SEC is bringing the needed "heat" into the ecosystem.
The impact of this measure is that the SEC has increased the investigation and sanction of crypto firms selling unregistered securities.
Similarly, it implies that crypto firms would have to tidy their dealings and stay clear of illegal ones.
Disclaimer: Voice of Crypto aims to deliver accurate and up-to-date information, but it will not be responsible for any missing facts or inaccurate information. Cryptocurrencies are highly volatile financial assets, so research and make your own financial decisions.