In a landmark development, U.S. regulatory agencies have finalized legal settlements totaling over $19 billion with cryptocurrency companies in 2024. This significant figure, revealed by CoinGecko on October 9, comprises nearly two-thirds of the total amounts collected from the crypto sector thus far. A substantial portion of this sum is attributed to the FTX exchange, which, alongside its trading partner Alameda, consented to pay $12.7 billion to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in August.
What Contributed to the Surge in Settlements?
The volume of major legal settlements escalated by 78% compared to the previous year, with eight significant resolutions recorded. The total amount collected in 2023 was $10.87 billion, highlighting an astounding growth of 8,327% since 2022. The reported figures include seized assets, refunds, fines, and accrued interest, although lawsuits against individual executives were not part of this calculation.
How Are Regulators Responding to Crypto Market Challenges?
The cryptocurrency market’s downturn can be traced back to the collapses of Celsius and Terraform Labs in mid-2022, which signaled a shift towards a bear market. Following these events, the bankruptcy of FTX prompted U.S. regulators to intensify their oversight of the sector. Notably, Terraform Labs entered into a $4.47 billion settlement with the SEC, marking it as the second-largest resolution this year.
Key Insights:
- Legal settlements in 2024 have surged to unprecedented levels.
- Regulatory actions prompted by major collapses have led to heightened scrutiny.
- Significant amounts collected from crypto firms indicate a shift in enforcement practices.
Regulatory scrutiny of the cryptocurrency landscape has intensified since 2019, resulting in total collections reaching $31.92 billion. As 2024 unfolds, it is likely to be remembered for its critical legal actions and settlements involving cryptocurrency entities.