Terraform Labs Co-Founder Argues Against SEC Lawsuit

In recent news, Terraform Labs co-founder Do Kwon’s lawyers have made arguments in court against the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) lawsuit alleging that Kwon illegally offered unregistered securities to US investors. Kwon’s lawyers have requested the lawsuit be dismissed, citing that US law prohibits regulators from using federal securities law to assert jurisdiction over the digital assets in the case. According to Bloomberg, the lawyers also claim that the SEC has failed to prove that Kwon defrauded US investors in connection with the $40 billion collapse of TerraUSD (UST) and Luna (LUNA) cryptocurrencies. The lawyers argue that the stablecoin in question is a currency and not a security.

The legal proceedings began when Kwon was arrested in Podgorica airport, Montenegro, on March 23, while attempting to fly to Dubai using fake documents. Following his arrest, both South Korean and American authorities requested the entrepreneur’s extradition. At present, it is unclear which country, if any, will be granted the extradition of Kwon.

The Seoul Southern District Court recently denied an arrest warrant for Terraform Labs co-founder Shin Hyun-Seong. Although prosecutors saw Kwon’s arrest as an opportunity to apprehend Shin, the court denied the request citing unconfirmed allegations and the unlikeliness of Shin being a flight risk or destroying evidence.

Montenegrin Justice Minister Marko Kovač, through an interpreter, stated that determining to which state Kwon would be extradited would be based on several factors such as the severity of the committed criminal offense, the location and time when the criminal offense was committed, the order in which the request for extradition was received, and several other factors.

Terraform Labs, which is behind the development of the Terra blockchain and several stablecoins, has gained attention in the cryptocurrency industry in recent years. The company has been working on a variety of projects, including an online marketplace and decentralized finance applications. The SEC lawsuit against Kwon is just one of several legal battles that the company has been involved in, including a lawsuit filed by the South Korean financial watchdog against the company’s stablecoin, Terra.

In conclusion, the legal battle between Do Kwon and the SEC is ongoing, and the outcome remains uncertain. However, Kwon’s lawyers’ arguments that the stablecoin in question is a currency and not a security may have implications for the broader cryptocurrency industry. Additionally, the issue of Kwon’s extradition remains unresolved, and it is unclear which country, if any, will be granted the request for his extradition. The Terraform Labs legal battles highlight the regulatory challenges faced by the cryptocurrency industry as it continues to grow and develop.