Breaking: Coinbase Files Lawsuit Against SEC, FDIC Over Debanking Crypto Firms

As an experienced financial analyst with a deep understanding of the crypto market, I believe that Coinbase’s decision to sue the SEC and FDIC over FOIA requests is a significant development in the regulatory landscape for digital assets. The allegations made by Coinbase against these federal agencies are serious and could have far-reaching implications for the entire industry.


Coinbase, a well-known cryptocurrency exchange, has recently taken legal action against the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The company alleges that these federal agencies have neglected to fulfill Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests made by Coinbase, according to the court documents filed.

Coinbase Seeks Disclosure Of SEC’s Ethereum Investigation Documents

As a crypto investor, I’m closely following the developments between Coinbase and regulatory agencies like the SEC and FDIC. Coinbase has taken legal action, requesting a court order to compel these agencies to disclose the necessary information. To aid in this process, they’ve brought on History Associates Inc., a consulting firm, to submit Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. The lawsuits also allege that these regulatory bodies have been employing measures that hinder the growth of the crypto industry by limiting our access to traditional banking services.

As an analyst, I’ve reviewed the complaint filed against the FDIC, and according to the document, federal financial regulators, including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the FDIC, and the Federal Reserve Board, have employed various regulatory measures for approximately two years with the intention of hindering the growth of the digital-asset industry.

The lawsuit intends to shed light on the FDIC’s role in an alleged illegal scheme, as claimed by Coinbase. Consequently, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests have been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to obtain their position regarding Ethereum (ETH). This action comes after a lawsuit initiated by blockchain software company Consensys against the SEC.

In March 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) initiated an investigation led by its Division of Enforcement Director, Gurbir Grewal, regarding “Ethereum 2.0.” This probe focused on individuals and entities involved in Ethereum trading. Subsequently, the SEC announced the termination of this investigation.

Paul Grewal, CLO of Coinbase, shared insights in a post on X. He expressed that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was asked for documents regarding past investigations to provide clarity on their expanded authority. One such investigation, which ended not long ago, centered around Ethereum (ETH), which the SEC declared was not a security back in 2018. Additionally, there were other investigations that had been concluded years prior. However, the SEC refused to comply with Coinbase’s requests for this information.

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2024-06-27 15:48