Binance Requests Dismissal of SEC’s Amended Complaint, Accusing the Agency of Lacking Clarity on Crypto Regulations

Binance and its ex-CEO, Changpeng Zhao, submitted a motion on Monday requesting the SEC's amended complaint be dismissed.

Binance and its former CEO, Changpeng Zhao, filed a motion on Monday requesting the SEC’s amended complaint be dismissed. The filing pointed out that the SEC’s case lacks a “coherent legal basis” and fails to offer a clear guideline on which crypto-related transactions shall be classified as securities.

According to the legal team of Binance, the SEC’s position contradicts a federal judge’s decision stating that some of the products of the company, including BUSD and Simple Earn, and secondary market sales of BNB tokens are not investment contracts.

The lawyers argue that the SEC is overlooking one factor from the June 29 ruling that said not all tokens are securities. “On the one hand , the SEC acknowledges the Court’s conclusion that crypto-assets are not securities, by their very nature; on the other hand, the SEC fails to adopt the legal consequences of that decision,” Binance’s filing noted.

SEC Accused of Lacking Clarity on Crypto Regulations

In its motion, Binance has argued that the SEC has not established clear rules on how the cryptocurrency industry is to operate. The legal department at Binance states that the SEC’s new complaint goes on to assert that most crypto transactions, including secondary market sales, are securities transactions because most investors expect the tokens’ prices to rise.

As per the filing, “The SEC still has not explained the criteria that would lead a court, a litigant, or a market participant to conclude that a particular crypto-asset transaction is an investment contract and, therefore, regulated by the federal securities laws and others that are not.” Binance pointed out that this uncertainty makes it impossible for businesses to know how to navigate the legal framework and that the SEC is able to enforce its rules in whatever manner it sees fit.

The filing also notes that the SEC has recently abandoned its prior position that the Ether transactions are investment contracts without any justification, which only serves to highlight the agency’s lack of consistency.

Background of the Case Against Binance

The SEC initially filed its lawsuit against Binance, its US affiliate Binance.US, and Zhao in June 2023. The agency accused them of operating unregistered exchanges, broker-dealers, and clearing agencies in the US. This complaint forms part of a broader regulatory crackdown by the SEC on the cryptocurrency industry. In addition to Binance, other major exchanges like Coinbase and Kraken have faced similar charges from the agency as it seeks to bring digital assets under existing securities regulations.

This particular case is separate from the criminal charges that the Department of Justice (DOJ) brought against Binance and Zhao in 2023. In November of that year, Binance admitted to violations related to anti-money laundering, unlicensed money transmission, and sanctions compliance.

As part of a settlement, the company agreed to pay a $4.3 billion fine, and Zhao served four months in prison in the US before being released.

Gensler Faces Pressure Amid Political Tensions in Crypto Regulation

The Binance filing comes at a time when SEC Chair Gary Gensler is facing increased scrutiny and political pressure over his approach to regulating digital assets. Prominent political figures from both major parties have criticized Gensler’s handling of crypto regulation.

Republican former President Donald Trump has pledged to remove Gensler from his position if re-elected, while supporters of Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris have also called for his dismissal.

In a recent statement at a financial technology convention in Las Vegas, Gensler defended his approach, saying, “We’re going to continue to do that which we do well at the SEC until, as I say, the ref calls the whistle.” Gensler highlighted that decisions about SEC leadership typically rest with the president, underscoring the impact of upcoming elections on the agency’s leadership and regulatory direction.