Top

Newly Published CoinGecko Index Tracks Alleged Crypto Securities

Web3 & Enterprise·August 08, 2023, 3:08 AM

Kuala Lumpur-based crypto data aggregator CoinGecko has unveiled a ground-breaking index spotlighting prominent cryptocurrency tokens that the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has earmarked as potential securities.

Through its “Top Alleged Securities Coins by Market Cap” page, the Malaysian aggregator categorizes a spectrum of cryptocurrency assets based on their market capitalization. At the forefront of this classification stands BNB, the native token of the Binance exchange and the BNB blockchain. It is closely followed by other prominent names such as Cardano, Solana, and Tron.

Photo by Shubham Dhage on Unsplash

 

$90 billion in value

The alleged securities amount to a whopping $90 billion in value according to their combined market capitalization right now. Putting this in context, the overall market capitalization of the entire crypto market currently stands at $1.2 trillion, of which Bitcoin accounts for over half a trillion dollars. This estimation paints a vivid picture of the immense scale of the cryptocurrency market and the potential reverberations of regulatory interventions.

CoinGecko’s index came to fruition in the first week of August, meticulously pooling the tokens that the SEC has previously classified as securities during legal proceedings. The decision to consolidate these tokens into a single index underscores the increasingly intricate interplay between the cryptocurrency market and regulatory frameworks.

 

Lack of clarity

When project teams and other market participants have asked for explicit clarity, SEC Chair Gary Gensler has frustratingly indicated that people need to make a simple determination based on the Howey Test — a historic securities case that has been used in the US to determine what constitutes a security. The case dates back to 1946, long before the onset of digitization let alone digital currencies.

Another issue is that the SEC is simply expressing an opinion based on its interpretation of existing securities law and securities case law. Without legislation in the US, clarity can only be provided in the courts. This is a flawed approach, as market participants have to wait for actions taken by the SEC against crypto entities to be adjudicated in the US courts in order to get a better understanding of the legal standing of these assets.

This comprehensive analysis provided by CoinGecko’s new index presents invaluable insights into the dynamic terrain of cryptocurrency regulation. It underscores the intricate dynamics between the digital currency market and the regulatory bodies that seek to govern it.

Taking the regulation of derivatives as a case in point, their emergence led to a very messy process of arriving at regulatory clarity. The very same thing is playing out with digital assets. While it is imperfect, there is no doubt that clarity will eventually be reached.

In the meantime, as the US fumbles where digital assets are concerned, regional authorities in East Asia and the Middle East are capitalizing on US regulatory shortcomings, implying that we will likely see further growth in crypto and Web3 in these locations until the US recovers.

More to Read
View All
Web3 & Enterprise·

Dec 28, 2023

CarrieVerse secures investment from JB Financial Group and Ecrux Venture Partners

Web3 metaverse and NFT platform CarrieVerse has secured funding from the JB Digital Asset Investment Fund 1 operated by JB Investment, the corporate venture capital arm of JB Financial Group, and Ecrux Venture Partners. The total value of the investment was not disclosed, according to Korean news outlet TechM. "The injection of new capital is a breath of fresh air after a slow crypto winter," said David Yoon, CEO of CarrieVerse. "With aggressive business and marketing tactics, we will bridge the gap between Web2 and Web3, helping to expand and popularize the Web3 market."Photo by Precondo CA on UnsplashThriving Web3 metaverseCarrieVerse is a Web3 metaverse available in various regions, including 15 Asian countries. The platform surpassed one million pre-registrations prior to its launch and also recorded 10,000 visitors in a single day. It was also revealed that it is one of the most popular platforms in Thailand, where it recently launched.  CarrieVerse is also the base hub for the card strategy role-playing game (RPG) SuperKola Tactics and the blockchain gaming platform Cling. Its native governance token, CVTX, has been listed on several exchanges like BingX and Bitget. Notably, CarrieVerse was also recently selected to join the UAE’s Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) to establish a local subsidiary that will serve as a hub to expand the company’s global Web3 ecosystem. Reasons and expectationsJB Investment cited CarrieVerse's global business network and Web3 capabilities as the reason for providing the funding. Ecrux Venture Partners, on the other hand, aims to create synergies between IP companies and the metaverse through CarrieVerse’s projects. Ecrux is a new venture capital firm that focuses on discovering companies that can commercialize content-based IP such as animated characters.  

news
Web3 & Enterprise·

Apr 17, 2025

OKX relaunches in the United States

Global crypto exchange platform OKX has announced that it has relaunched its exchange services and Web3 wallet within the U.S. market. In a press release published on April 15, the company said that customers can now access the platform in the United States, “with existing customers migrating seamlessly and new customers gradually gaining access ahead of a full nationwide launch.”Photo by Danny Burke on UnsplashOnboarding OKCoin usersIn terms of existing customers, the company is referring to users of OKCoin, the former name of OKX, who will now be onboarded onto the newly launched OKX exchange service. The Seychelles-based company, which was originally founded and operated in China, has established its U.S. headquarters in San Jose, California. The company has appointed Roshan Robert, formerly an executive at Morgan Stanley and Barclays, as its U.S. CEO. Commenting on the U.S. market relaunch, Robert stated: "With the US advancing crypto regulatory clarity, we see tremendous opportunities to build trust and deliver secure, compliant digital asset solutions.” Inflection pointIn a blog post published to the firm’s website, Robert said that he had been watching the development of the industry since its earliest days, but that he thinks that the crypto sector has now reached “a critical inflection point.” He added that more so than ever before, the crypto sector is currently interacting more directly with traditional finance and capital markets.  Referring directly to what platform users can expect from the relaunched service in the U.S., the OKX U.S. CEO said that the firm plans on rolling out new features throughout the year as part of its vision to build a crypto super app. Rollout of the platform’s services in the U.S. will be carried out on a phased basis. The firm also intends to offer integrations with local banks, together with full support for major assets such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDC and USDT.The OKX Wallet will be made available to U.S. users, supporting a range of digital assets across 130 blockchain networks. The wallet will enable users to access a number of Web3 dApps, facilitate the movement of digital assets between blockchain networks and include a number of tools to assist platform users with their trading activities. Entering a ‘new era’It’s likely that a change towards a more positive outlook where the crypto sector is concerned at government and regulatory levels in the U.S., together with a settlement reached with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), has influenced OKX in relaunching its service stateside.  The DOJ had opened an investigation into the company on the basis of allegations that it was operating a money-transmitting business on an unlicensed basis. In its settlement, the company paid fines and penalties totaling $500 million. With that settlement behind it and a more enlightened climate for digital assets having emerged in the U.S., OKX described the service relaunch as “a new era for OKX in the U.S.”Yves La Rose, CEO of Web3 banking project, the Vaulta Foundation, said that OKX’s U.S. expansion is a signal, indicating that “a new era of compliant, wallet-led Web3 innovation is underway.” Diana Pires, an executive at crypto payments firm Beam, expressed a similar take, stating on X that OKX was relaunching “because the world’s largest economy is finally ready for crypto,” adding that “the floodgates are now open for international crypto companies.”

news
Policy & Regulation·

Oct 21, 2024

Leader of Japan’s DPP commits to crypto tax cuts ahead of election

Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of Japan’s Democratic Party for the People (DPP), has outlined that if elected the party will introduce a crypto tax plan that will bring about the lowering of taxation on crypto gains to 20%. Tamaki’s comments come ahead of the Asian nation's elections, which are due to be held on Oct. 27. Taking to the X social media platform on Oct. 19, Tamaki wrote: “If you think crypto assets should be taxed separately at 20% instead of treated as miscellaneous income, please vote for the Democratic Party for the People. There will be no tax when exchanging crypto assets with other crypto assets.”Photo by Liger Pham on PexelsCrypto taxation reformThe DPP leader added that he would be appreciative of people spreading the word and letting the broader Japanese public know about this commitment that is being made in respect of crypto taxation reform. The reduction to 20% would bring the treatment of crypto in line with that of the stock market in Japan, where gains are already taxed at the 20% tax rate. The DPP leader included a graphic within his X post that provided further detail. It outlined that a loss carry-forward deduction could be applied by the taxpayer within a three-year timeframe.  A tax exemption would apply when it comes to the exchange of crypto assets. The DPP is also in favor of increasing the permitted leverage multiple from 2x to 10x relative to crypto trading. Finally, the party supports the introduction of spot crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in Japan. Focusing on developing Web3In response to an X user, Tamaki claimed that the DPP would consider a reduced taxation policy to be inclusive of other financial income in the future. However, for right now, the DPP leader said that the focus was on making Japan “a strong nation in the Web3 business.” Another Japanese crypto community member suggested that the proposed tax cut would lead to an increase in tax revenues, based upon the assertion that many people don’t file tax returns simply because tax calculations are too difficult right now. While the plan is positive for Japan’s crypto community, the DPP is unlikely to be in a position to implement such a plan. The party currently holds just seven of the 465 seats in the National Diet, the Asian nation’s House of Representatives.  Tax reform guidelinesCurrently, the applicable tax rate applied to crypto revenues can reach as high as 55% in Japan. At the end of August Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) unveiled new tax reform guidelines for 2025. One component of those proposals was the suggestion that the crypto tax rate should be reduced to 20%. With that, if Tamaki’s DPP can’t influence matters, the regulator’s proposals may be of sufficient weight to have the matter addressed. The approach taken to the taxation of crypto in various jurisdictions is having a bearing in terms of the competitiveness of those locations relative to the development and further roll-out of Web3 technologies. Earlier this month, the United Arab Emirates took a positive step forward by exempting crypto from value-added tax (VAT). Meanwhile, in Indonesia the local regulator is moving towards a re-evaluation of what is considered to be a harsh taxation policy relative to crypto. 

news
Loading