Gary Gensler: SEC Has Never Claimed $BTC and $ETH Are Securities

What happened?
The SEC has "never claimed" Bitcoin or Ethereum are securities, outgoing chairman Gary Gensler stated in a Yahoo Finance interview. He clarified that neither he nor former SEC chairman Jay Clayton has made such assertions.

The SEC previously issued notices to firms interacting with the Ethereum Foundation, prompting blockchain software developer ConsenSys to sue the agency over its 2023 investigation into Ethereum 2.0.

Additional details:
Gensler is stepping down on January 20, as a crypto-friendly administration takes office. During his tenure, the SEC initiated lawsuits against crypto firms but avoided providing clear industry guidelines.

In 2023, Gensler suggested PoS tokens might qualify as securities after Ethereum’s transition from Proof of Work to Proof of Stake. He also emphasized that crypto ETFs improve investor protection with lower fees and stricter oversight.

Lawmakers pressed Gensler to clarify ETH's status. Despite no definitive answer, the SEC approved Bitcoin spot ETFs in January 2024 and Ethereum-based ETFs in July, though issuers are prohibited from staking purchased ETH for investors.
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