TLDR

  • SEC filed to dismiss unregistered securities case against crypto YouTuber Ian Balina

  • Balina was accused of improperly promoting Sparkster (SPRK) tokens during the 2017-2018 ICO boom

  • The court had previously ruled SPRK tokens were securities under the Howey Test

  • This is part of a broader trend of the SEC dropping crypto-related cases under the Trump administration

  • The SEC has recently abandoned cases against Coinbase, Ripple, Kraken, OpenSea, and others

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed to dismiss its unregistered securities sales case against crypto influencer and YouTuber Ian Balina, marking the latest in a series of abandoned crypto enforcement actions under the new administration.

In a May 1 joint stipulation submitted to an Austin federal court, the SEC stated it “believes the dismissal of this case is appropriate,” citing the work of the agency’s Crypto Task Force. The stipulation argued that dropping the case would conserve court resources “without costs or fees to either party.”

While the SEC did not provide a specific reason for the dismissal, they noted that their decision “does not necessarily reflect the Commission’s position on any other case.”

Balina, who serves as CEO of Token Metrics and has about 140,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter), told reporters in March that the SEC had informed him they would recommend dismissing the case. He claimed this shift stemmed from changes in the agency’s priorities.

🚨 SEC CASE DROPPED. WE WON.

The SEC dropped its case against @DiaryofaMadeMan

A huge moment for crypto and a possible shift in enforcement trends.

The future of crypto is transparency and data-driven research.

We’ll keep leading the way at @TokenMetricsInc.

Thanks to…

— Token Metrics (@tokenmetricsinc) March 12, 2025

“Obviously, the new administration is pro-crypto,” Balina remarked. The SEC has indeed seen a leadership change under President Donald Trump, who appointed former crypto lobbyist Paul Atkins to chair the agency.

The Original Allegations

The SEC initially sued Balina in 2022, alleging he conducted an unregistered securities offering of Sparkster (SPRK) tokens when he formed an investing pool on Telegram in 2018. The lawsuit claimed that US-based investors participated in Balina’s pool using Ether (ETH).

The court sided with the SEC in May 2024, ruling that SPRK tokens qualified as an investment contract under US securities laws. The judge determined investors pooled money into a common enterprise expecting profits due to the efforts of others.

The lawsuit stated that Balina had purchased $5 million worth of SPRK tokens with a 30% bonus in exchange for promotional efforts. The SEC claimed he failed to disclose this compensation when promoting the tokens.

Broader Policy Shift

This dismissal fits into a larger pattern of the SEC withdrawing from crypto-related enforcement actions. Over the past month, the agency has dropped several cases and abandoned multiple investigations against major crypto firms.

The list of companies no longer facing SEC action includes Coinbase, Ripple, Kraken, OpenSea, and PayPal regarding its stablecoin. On April 23, the commission also dropped charges against Hex founder Richard Heart.

These changes follow the Trump administration’s more favorable stance toward the cryptocurrency industry, contrasting with the previous regulatory approach.

Balina appeared to welcome the dismissal in a March 13 post on X, writing “it’s official” that the SEC was dropping the case. He framed it as a broader victory, adding, “This was never just about me.”

His company, Token Metrics, echoed this sentiment in a separate post, suggesting the dismissal could signal a larger shift in enforcement trends across the crypto sector.

It’s worth noting that while Balina’s case is being dismissed, Sparkster and its CEO previously settled with the SEC in 2022, agreeing to pay over $35 million to affected investors in that separate action.

The SEC’s motion to dismiss Balina’s case reflects the changing regulatory landscape for cryptocurrency in the United States, where enforcement priorities appear to be shifting under new leadership.

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