Ripple Calls for Investigation into Official Speeches of SEC on Cryptocurrencies

Five years after Bill Hinman delivered a speech on cryptocurrency, Stuart Alderoty, Chief Legal Officer (CLO) at Ripple, has raised concerns and called for an investigation into the actions of a former Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) official. This call comes in light of the SEC’s lawsuit against Ripple and the subsequent release of a public email and a draft of Hinman’s speech. Disclosed documents allegedly reveal that Hinman ignored multiple warnings about a lack of legal basis in his analysis, leading to confusion in the market.

Hinman Speech and SEC Position:

In his speech, Hinman stated that tokens cease to be security once they reach a certain level of decentralization. He introduces the factors to consider when determining the “decentralization enough” of a token. Although Hinman claimed it was his personal view, the SEC promoted it as a guideline, with then SEC Chairman Jay Clayton publicly endorsing it. Despite the change in the SEC’s stance on the significance of speech in litigation, it remains accessible on the agency’s website.

Ignored Suggestions and Reservations:

Senior SEC officials claim that Hinman ignored suggestions to align his newly discovered factors more closely with Howey’s analysis and failed to address whether digital assets meet legal security standards. The SEC also objected to mentioning Ether in the speech, as doing so could impede the agency’s ability to adopt a different attitude toward ETH.

Ripple’s demands:

Ripple CLO Alderoty demanded that Hinman’s speech be immediately removed from the SEC website and a thorough investigation into the factors that influenced Hinman’s actions. He questioned why conflicts or emergence of conflicts were ignored and why the SEC supported speeches that created “greater confusion”. Alderoty argued that Hinman’s speech should no longer be used as a basis for determining whether a token is a security, stressing the importance of faithful application of existing laws over the creation of new ones by unelected bureaucrats.

Garlinghouse’s Criticisms and Accusations:

Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple, has joined Alderoty in criticizing the SEC’s handling of the cryptocurrency industry. Garlinghouse specifically points to the SEC’s lawsuit against him and co-founder Chris Larsen, which accuses them of selling XRP as an unregistered security. Ripple vehemently denies these allegations, asserting that XRP is a digital currency similar to Bitcoin or Ethereum.

Arms of Uncertainty Regulation:

Garlinghouse goes on to argue that the SEC exploits the lack of regulatory clarity within the industry, using enforcement actions to sow confusion and uncertainty. He accused the SEC of engaging in politically motivated outreach and called for greater transparency and accountability from regulators.

As Ripple continues to fight the SEC lawsuit, the CLO and the company’s CEO raised serious concerns about the actions and guidance being provided by regulatory bodies. They called for an investigation into the former SEC official’s speeches, his promotion as a guide, and the alleged creation of confusion in the markets. Ripple emphasizes the need for regulatory clarity and urges regulators to faithfully implement existing laws without overstepping their authority. The cryptocurrency industry awaits further developments in this ongoing dispute with the SEC.