Ripple CEO Calls Out Gensler’s “Dictating” on Crypto Regulation

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse condemned SEC Chairperson Gary Gensler’s take on crypto regulations. The executive called the statements showcasing SEC Chair “dictates” what crypto asset to treat as a security. He even urged “elected officials” to take note of the instance. Crypto regulations have remained a hot topic for a long time now and the regulatory actions in the past months make the community look for more clarifications.

Garlinghouse went on to Twitter on Friday, March 31, criticizing Gensler’s statements during the testimony before the House Financial Services Subcommittee. During the meeting, the SEC Chair put the agency’s budget request for 2024 pointing out the rapidly changing technological space.

In his address, Gensler knocked out the broader cryptocurrency market calling it a “Wild West” which is “rife with noncompliance.” He added that investors put their “hard-earned assets at risk.” In many past instances, he stated that most of the coins and tokens available in the crypto market are securities and reiterated the same during the meeting.

When asked about specific plans for implying digital assets are likely to fall for existing securities laws, the SEC Chief dodged by saying they could not be more clear. He stated that regulations for crypto are already there while citing securities regulations.

The Chief Executive Officer of payment protocol called the assertion of Gensler as dictating on declaring an asset as a security rather than following the “legislation.” He considers this “beyond comprehension” and asks the US officials to intervene.

Calling out Gensler he stated,

“When you behave like an autocrat running a $2.2B bloated agency, why would you ever want to provide clarity about what’s “in or out”?

Without clear jurisdiction, ambiguity masquerades as power.”

During the meeting, SEC Chair also put the budget requirements for the upcoming year. He sought a significant amount of 2.43 billion USD which the agency is likely to allocate for its enforcement actions within the crypto space.

The broader crypto community has registered their resentment for not having proper clarity on crypto regulations. This leaves the burgeoning asset class industry with a dilemma of where to put the next steps as no one knows the limit which is prohibited to cross.

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission has been witnessing the crypto industry in full action since the latter part of last year. Instances like the fall of the Terra (LUNA) network, the demise of Three Arrows Capital, Celsius, and Voyager-like companies, leading crypto exchange FTX filing for bankruptcy, and several others prompted the agency to enforce regulation over the market.