# Legal Related Articles

HTX News Center provides the latest articles and in-depth analysis on "Legal", covering market trends, project updates, tech developments, and regulatory policies in the crypto industry.

Ripple Makes New Demands From SEC, What Are They Asking For?

Ripple has sent a letter to the U.S. SEC's Crypto Task Force requesting regulatory clarity on payment stablecoins and tokenized securities. This follows up on a meeting held in March. Key demands include clarification on how stablecoins should be treated as collateral on balance sheets under amended Rule 15c3-1, and defining "Qualified Payment Stablecoins" for custody under Rule 15c3-3. Ripple also asked for confirmation that other major crypto non-securities, beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum, receive equivalent regulatory treatment, suggesting a revision to related SEC FAQs. Furthermore, the firm proposed a 0% haircut for stablecoins under certain conditions and requested that on-chain registries be designated as the single authoritative legal record for ownership, eliminating ambiguity in digital twin structures. In a separate reaction, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse declared the "anti-crypto army" defeated, citing support from courts, voters, and former U.S. President Donald Trump, who criticized former SEC Chair Gary Gensler and vowed to codify pro-crypto legislation.

bitcoinist05/29 17:32

Ripple Makes New Demands From SEC, What Are They Asking For?

bitcoinist05/29 17:32

6,000 Investors Lost Everything On A 1,001x Solana Meme Coin — South Korea Just Made Its Move

South Korean prosecutors have indicted five individuals for a landmark Solana-based meme coin rug pull, marking the first-ever criminal prosecution of a decentralized exchange (DEX) scam under the country's Virtual Asset User Protection Act. The group launched the CATFI token on pump.fun, artificially inflated its value through fake social media promotions and circular trading under the influencer alias "EtherFather," and then abandoned the project. The scam caused the token's price to surge 1,001 times, attracting about 6,000 investors and resulting in approximately $650,000 in confirmed losses for 256 victims. This precedent-setting case extends South Korea's crypto fraud enforcement framework to DEX transactions and influencer-driven manipulation for the first time.

bitcoinist05/27 14:02

6,000 Investors Lost Everything On A 1,001x Solana Meme Coin — South Korea Just Made Its Move

bitcoinist05/27 14:02

New York Lawsuit Takes Aim At 3.79 Million Dormant Bitcoin

A lawsuit filed in New York by "Noah Doe" and two Wyoming LLCs seeks a court declaration that approximately 39,069 long-dormant Bitcoin wallets, allegedly holding about 3.79 million BTC, are legally abandoned property. The plaintiffs claim to have identified the wallets, reported them to the NYPD, and conducted a notification campaign via blockchain messages and a webpage. They argue this satisfies New York's lost-property laws, transferring ownership rights to them. The claim includes addresses linked to Satoshi Nakamoto and early miners, though the complaint itself does not specify these attributions or the total BTC amount. The case centers on the novel legal argument that inactive self-custodied crypto addresses constitute recoverable abandoned property, despite the practical impossibility of accessing the funds without private keys. The campaign was connected to Salomon Brothers Strategic Advisors, a firm separate from the historic Wall Street entity.

bitcoinist05/25 14:31

New York Lawsuit Takes Aim At 3.79 Million Dormant Bitcoin

bitcoinist05/25 14:31

Bidding Farewell to the 'Gray Gambling Game'! Polymarket Charges into the Compliance Track—How Will This Impact the Entire Crypto Industry?

From Gray to Regulated: How Polymarket’s Compliance Journey Reshapes Crypto The evolution of Polymarket, a decentralized prediction market platform, illustrates a critical trend in crypto: innovative, high-value sectors ultimately integrate into regulatory frameworks. Founded in 2020, Polymarket quickly gained traction by leveraging low-cost Layer 2 blockchain technology for event-based trading, notably during the 2024 US presidential election where its markets outperformed traditional polls. However, its "build first, comply later" approach led to a 2022 CFTC enforcement action, resulting in a $1.4 million fine and a ban from the US market. A pivotal shift occurred in 2025 under a new US administration. Polymarket strategically acquired CFTC-licensed derivatives exchange QCX for $112 million, securing a regulated pathway back into the US. This move coincided with a regulatory reversal, as the CFTC withdrew a prior proposal to ban political event contracts. The platform’s successful "regulatory acquisition" strategy, avoiding a lengthy independent licensing process, highlights a viable compliance path for crypto-native projects. Its journey from regulatory target to a CFTC-recognized entity—bolstered by a major data partnership and investment from Intercontinental Exchange (ICE)—signals the maturation of prediction markets from a "crypto novelty" into acknowledged financial infrastructure. The story underscores that genuine utility provides negotiating power with regulators and that embracing compliance does not necessarily mean sacrificing core technological advantages.

marsbit05/23 01:05

Bidding Farewell to the 'Gray Gambling Game'! Polymarket Charges into the Compliance Track—How Will This Impact the Entire Crypto Industry?

marsbit05/23 01:05

I've Been a Divorce Lawyer for 26 Years: How Has Cryptocurrency Become a New Tool for the Wealthy to Hide Assets?

Natalie Brunell reports on insights from divorce lawyer James Sexton, who has 26 years of experience. He argues that money itself is not the root of marital breakdown; rather, emotional disconnection is the core issue. While financial hardship increases divorce risk, excessive wealth can also make divorce easier by reducing the incentive to work on the relationship. Sexton discusses financial management in marriages, advocating for transparency and a "yours, mine, and ours" system that balances shared finances with individual autonomy and privacy. He notes the growing normalization of prenuptial agreements, especially among younger generations. A significant portion focuses on cryptocurrency's role in divorce. Sexton explains that crypto became a new tool for hiding assets due to its early anonymity and complexity. He highlights that many lawyers and spouses lack understanding, allowing knowledgeable parties to gain advantages. He cites a New York legal form that only added a specific crypto disclosure field in 2026. On saving relationships, Sexton emphasizes small, consistent acts of reconnection, affirmation, and expressing appreciation, which he finds more effective than criticism. He concludes that fostering warmth and kindness is a simple yet powerful way to strengthen bonds and, in his words, "put divorce lawyers out of business."

marsbit05/10 06:36

I've Been a Divorce Lawyer for 26 Years: How Has Cryptocurrency Become a New Tool for the Wealthy to Hide Assets?

marsbit05/10 06:36

Justin Sun Sues World Liberty Financial Over Token Freeze Dispute

Justin Sun, founder of Tron, has filed a lawsuit in a California federal court against World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a project backed by the Trump family. Sun alleges the project threatened to burn his tokens and froze them without providing a reason. He stated he resorted to litigation after failed attempts to resolve the matter directly with the team. The dispute centers around a new WLFI governance proposal that would lock tokens for founders and advisors for two years, release them gradually over three years, and burn 10% of the tokens. Sun criticized the plan as non-transparent and harmful, arguing it would permanently freeze tokens of holders who do not explicitly accept its terms. He had previously raised concerns that 76% of the voting power came from just 10 wallets. WLFI has denied Sun's claims as "baseless allegations," stating they have evidence and are prepared for a legal battle. Despite the lawsuit, Sun reaffirmed his support for former President Trump and his administration's crypto-friendly policies.

TheNewsCrypto04/22 11:56

Justin Sun Sues World Liberty Financial Over Token Freeze Dispute

TheNewsCrypto04/22 11:56

Design, Development, Legal, Sports... Polymarket Launches 'Full-Stack' Talent Grab

Polymarket, a leading prediction market platform, is aggressively expanding its team across multiple domains following competitor Kalshi's recent $22 billion valuation funding round. Key hires and strategic acquisitions are central to its growth strategy. Design remains a priority, with the design lead actively recruiting to strengthen the platform's distinctive blue-and-white branding. Engineering recruitment is also intensive, highlighted by the acquisition of API platform Dome, whose co-founders joined Polymarket, and the hiring of a former Aave engineering VP. Multiple senior engineering roles are currently open. For its US platform, Polymarket is bolstering legal and compliance expertise, adding a former RBC Capital Markets veteran as Legal Counsel. In a significant move, it hired a former Fanatics CBO to lead sports business development, which sparked a non-compete lawsuit from Fanatics, revealing complex industry entanglements. Further hires include a former Coinbase institutional product lead to handle institutional liquidity sales, a marketing head from MrBeast's team, and a Citadel veteran for exchange upgrades. Polymarket is also recruiting for HR and a Head of Markets, indicating the talent competition in the prediction market space is far from over.

Odaily星球日报04/15 12:34

Design, Development, Legal, Sports... Polymarket Launches 'Full-Stack' Talent Grab

Odaily星球日报04/15 12:34

Circle defends USDC freeze policy after Drift exploit, calls for faster legal frameworks

Circle has responded to criticism regarding its handling of illicit funds, particularly after the Drift Protocol exploit where over $270 million was drained. The company stated that it cannot freeze USDC assets without legal authorization from relevant authorities, emphasizing that freezing is a legal obligation, not a discretionary action. This follows a report alleging $420 million in compliance lapses due to delayed or absent freezes, including $230 million in USDC during the Drift incident. Circle argues that the mismatch between blockchain speed and legal processes creates structural gaps exploited by bad actors. The company calls for updated legal frameworks, such as the GENIUS and CLARITY Acts, to enable faster intervention while preserving due process and property rights.

ambcrypto04/10 15:47

Circle defends USDC freeze policy after Drift exploit, calls for faster legal frameworks

ambcrypto04/10 15:47

Bithumb Seeks Legal Action To Recover Unreturned Bitcoin From $40B Payout Error

Crypto exchange Bithumb is pursuing legal action to freeze and recover approximately 7 Bitcoin (worth nearly $500,000) that were not returned after a major payout error in February. The incident occurred when Bithumb accidentally distributed 620,000 Bitcoin (valued at over $40 billion) to 249 users due to a "fat-finger" mistake. Although the exchange recovered 99.7% of the funds, a small portion was sold or converted by users. Under South Korean law, such mistaken payments are considered unjust enrichment and must be returned. The error also prompted regulatory scrutiny, leading to stricter asset-matching requirements for domestic crypto exchanges and a preliminary six-month business suspension notice for Bithumb over AML and KYC violations.

bitcoinist04/10 07:02

Bithumb Seeks Legal Action To Recover Unreturned Bitcoin From $40B Payout Error

bitcoinist04/10 07:02

Industry Experts Gather, Reflections and Breakthroughs in the AI Agent Era

Industry experts gathered to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the AI Agent era. The event, co-hosted by several organizations, addressed key questions about model selection, token resource sustainability, and strategies for individuals and businesses to adapt. Conflux's Chief Architect highlighted the current trend of granting AI more autonomy, noting that its limitations in complex scenarios stem from difficulties in capturing and retaining key contextual constraints. Future advancements should focus on enhancing external memory, continuous learning, and domain-specific applications. Speakers from Tencent Cloud and Biteye shared practical insights. Tencent's WorkBuddy leverages multi-agent collaboration for tasks like resume screening and report generation, emphasizing enterprise-grade security. Biteye’s founder discussed mitigating AI hallucinations through rigorous code review processes, managing token consumption, and using platforms like Discord for agent coordination. Legal risks were also addressed, with a partner from Mankun Law advising on liability isolation, intellectual property protection, and mitigating platform dependency risks. Investors noted that AI is still in its early stages, with technology rapidly evolving. They emphasized investing in foundational layers like compute power and exploring AI-Web3 convergence. The discussion concluded that AI should be viewed as a productivity tool rather than a threat. Customizable agents can significantly enhance efficiency, but successful implementation requires careful engineering, security measures, and human oversight to integrate AI into complex workflows effectively.

marsbit04/08 05:51

Industry Experts Gather, Reflections and Breakthroughs in the AI Agent Era