Consensys 因以太坊分类纠纷起诉 SEC

MetaMask 背后的公司 Consensys 已对 SEC 提起诉讼，以阻止其将以太币作为证券进行监管。在此之前，SEC 向 Consensys 发出了 Wells 通知，表明其打算采取执法行动。 Consensys 认为，以太币不是证券，美国证券交易委员会没有合法权利对其进行监管。此外，该公司认为将以太币归类为证券会抑制创新并损害美国经济。

Consensys Files Lawsuit Against SEC Over Ether Regulation Dispute

Consensys 就以太坊监管纠纷向 SEC 提起诉讼

New York, New York – April 21, 2023 – Consensys, the blockchain software company behind the popular cryptocurrency wallet MetaMask, has filed a lawsuit against the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in a bid to prevent the agency's attempt to regulate Ether, the native cryptocurrency of the Ethereum network, as a security.

纽约州纽约 – 2023 年 4 月 21 日 – 流行加密货币钱包 MetaMask 背后的区块链软件公司 Consensys 已对美国证券交易委员会 (SEC) 提起诉讼，以阻止该机构监管以太币的尝试，以太坊网络的原生加密货币，作为一种证券。

Consensys: SEC Overstepping Authority

Consensys：SEC 越权

In a press release published on Thursday, Consensys claimed that the SEC is overstepping its authority by trying to regulate Ether as a security. The company believes that regulatory overreach would stifle innovation and harm the U.S. economy.

在周四发布的新闻稿中，Consensys 声称 SEC 试图将以太币作为证券进行监管，这是越权行为。该公司认为，过度监管将扼杀创新并损害美国经济。

"Ethereum is a world-changing technology, and ether itself has the potential to be a significant driver of the U.S. economy of the future," said Joe Lubin, Co-founder of Ethereum and Founder/CEO of Consensys. "Unlawful SEC regulation, however, threatens to jeopardize this potential and impedes the U.S.'s ability to use blockchain technology as the basis for countless new innovations and technologies – even as other nations race ahead."

以太坊联合创始人兼 Consensys 创始人/首席执行官 Joe Lubin 表示：“以太坊是一项改变世界的技术，以太坊本身有潜力成为未来美国经济的重要推动力。” “然而，美国证券交易委员会的非法监管可能会危及这一潜力，并阻碍美国利用区块链技术作为无数新创新和技术基础的能力——即使其他国家正在领先。”

Consensys' Arguments

Consensys 的论点

According to Consensys, the SEC has historically considered Ether a commodity, not a security. Putting Ether under securities regulation could ultimately hurt millions of Ether holders, cripple Ethereum's use in the US, and make it difficult for US developers to build on Ethereum.

据 Consensys 称，美国证券交易委员会历来认为以太币是一种商品，而不是一种证券。将以太币置于证券监管之下最终可能会伤害数百万以太币持有者，削弱以太坊在美国的使用，并使美国开发商难以在以太坊上进行开发。

The company argued that the SEC has no legal right to regulate either Ether itself or user-controlled software interfaces built on Ethereum, like MetaMask.

该公司辩称，美国证券交易委员会没有合法权利来监管以太币本身或基于以太坊构建的用户控制的软件界面，例如 MetaMask。

Threefold Court Ruling

三重法院裁决

With the latest legal action against the SEC, Consensys seeks a threefold court ruling. First, they aim to secure a declaration that Ether is not a security.

随着针对 SEC 的最新法律诉讼，Consensys 寻求法院的三重裁决。首先，他们的目标是确保以太坊不是证券的声明。

Second, they hope the ruling will prevent the SEC from taking legal action against Consensys based on these arguments. Finally, Consensys seeks a court decision clarifying that its MetaMask wallet does not function as a securities broker.

其次，他们希望这项裁决能够阻止 SEC 基于这些论点对 Consensys 采取法律行动。最后，Consensys 寻求法院裁决，澄清其 MetaMask 钱包不具备证券经纪人功能。

SEC's Wells Notice

SEC 的威尔斯通知

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, comes in response to the SEC's Wells Notice sent to Consensys earlier this month. A Wells Notice is typically a formal notification informing the recipients that the agency plans to bring civil enforcement actions against them for potential violations of securities laws.

该诉讼向美国德克萨斯州北区地方法院提起，是对本月早些时候发送给 Consensys 的 SEC 威尔斯通知的回应。威尔斯通知通常是一份正式通知，通知收件人该机构计划对他们可能违反证券法的行为采取民事执法行动。

SEC's Crackdown on Cryptocurrency

SEC 对加密货币的打击

Before Consensys, the SEC also sent a Wells Notice to Uniswap Labs, the developer behind the major decentralized exchange (DEX) Uniswap. Instead of waiting for the SEC to take action, Consensys initiated the legal battle.

在 Consensys 之前，SEC 还向主要去中心化交易所（DEX）Uniswap 背后的开发商 Uniswap Labs 发出了 Wells 通知。 Consensys 没有等待 SEC 采取行动，而是发起了法律诉讼。

Securities classification and the Howey test are mainly the SEC's core arguments in precedent cases. Therefore, even though the Uniswap team hasn't specified the SEC's reason for targeting Uniswap, it's highly possible that the agency still relies on the classification method.

证券分类和Howey测试主要是SEC在先例中的核心论点。因此，尽管 Uniswap 团队没有具体说明 SEC 针对 Uniswap 的原因，但该机构很有可能仍然依赖分类方法。

Uniswap's Chief Legal Officer Marvin Ammori said the SEC wants to pursue Uniswap's responsibility for allegedly being an unregistered stock exchange and brokerage.

Uniswap 首席法务官 Marvin Ammori 表示，SEC 希望追究 Uniswap 涉嫌未注册证券交易所和经纪公司的责任。

Both Uniswap and Consensys vow to defend their rights. Uniswap claimed that in the US, there is still no specific law for the cryptocurrency sector, no case law on crypto exchanges or brokers being declared as processing securities transactions, and its UNI token does not meet the criteria of the Howey Test to be listed as a security.

Uniswap 和 Consensys 都誓言捍卫自己的权利。 Uniswap 声称，在美国，加密货币领域仍然没有具体的法律，没有关于加密货币交易所或经纪商被宣布为处理证券交易的判例法，其 UNI 代币不符合 Howey Test 被列为一个安全。

Ethereum ETFs Blocked

以太坊 ETF 被封锁

Earlier today, Reuters reported that the SEC will likely reject applications to launch spot Ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Sources familiar with the matter say ETF issuers' meetings with the SEC lacked expected detail on the products, unlike the in-depth discussions that preceded the approval of several spot Bitcoin ETFs in January.

今天早些时候，路透社报道称，美国证券交易委员会可能会拒绝推出以太坊现货交易所交易基金（ETF）的申请。知情人士称，ETF 发行人与 SEC 的会议缺乏预期的产品细节，这与 1 月份批准几只现货比特币 ETF 之前的深入讨论不同。

Ten issuers, including BlackRock, Grayscale, Bitwise, Fidelity, VanEck, and ARK Investment Management, have filed with the SEC to list ETFs tracking Ethereum's spot price. The SEC is expected to decide on VanEck's and ARK's filings by May 23-24, respectively.

包括 BlackRock、Grayscale、Bitwise、Fidelity、VanEck 和 ARK Investment Management 在内的 10 家发行人已向 SEC 提交申请，列出追踪以太坊现货价格的 ETF。 SEC 预计将分别在 5 月 23 日至 24 日之前对 VanEck 和 ARK 的申请做出决定。

Unlike spot Bitcoin ETFs, the current situation around spot Ethereum ETF progress has shown less optimism. Analysts suggest that if the SEC rejects these ETF filings, it may face a new legal battle from the ETF issuers.

与现货比特币 ETF 不同，目前现货以太坊 ETF 的进展情况并不那么乐观。分析师表示，如果 SEC 拒绝这些 ETF 申请，可能会面临 ETF 发行人的新法律诉讼。