Regulation
House Challenges SEC Over Crypto Custody Rules, Biden Promises Blockade
The U.S. House of Representatives has voted decisively in favor of a resolution to overturn a controversial SEC directive on cryptocurrency accounting, signaling a growing divide between legislative preferences and executive advocacy. regulatory measures.
What happened: THE resolutionaimed at rejecting the SEC’s Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 121 (SAB 121), has been defended by its supporters as a necessary rollback of regulations that have stifled banks’ engagement in digital assets.
Introduced under the guise of ordinary staff directives, SAB 121 was heavily criticized for overstepping traditional regulatory boundaries by requiring banks to include digital tokens they hold for their customers on their balance sheets, a measure considered disproportionate.
Critics say these guidelines could impose significant capital expenditures on banks, potentially discouraging them from providing custody services to crypto businesses.
Passage of the resolution in the House enjoyed surprising bipartisan support, with 21 Democrats breaking ranks, undeterred by President Joe Biden’s veto threat.
Read also: Spot Bitcoin ETFs See Net Inflows of $11 Million Wednesday as Grayscale Focuses on Ether ETF
Why is this important: The president came out strongly in defense of the SEC’s actions, emphasizing the need for SAB 121 to address the “technological, legal and regulatory risks” associated with crypto assets which he said have previously led to “losses substantial for consumers. »
“SAB 121 was issued in response to demonstrated technological, legal and regulatory risks that have caused substantial losses to consumers,” Biden asserted, emphasizing his strong opposition to any efforts that would undermine the SEC’s regulatory framework.
The controversy surrounding the SEC’s guidance, including its procedural deficiencies identified in a Government Accountability Office (GAO) review, has sparked significant debate about the appropriate balance between innovation and regulation.
representative Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) condemned the guidelines as a “massive departure” from standard regulatory practices, while Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) cautioned against an overly forceful legislative response, suggesting that a more measured approach might be more appropriate.
And after: The ongoing conflict over SAB 121 highlights larger tensions within the U.S. regulatory landscape regarding digital assets, a topic that is also expected to be a focus of Benzinga’s concerns. The future of digital assets event on November 19.
Read next: JPMorgan analysts optimistic about future approval of Spot Ether ETFs despite regulatory hurdles
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