Uniswap Labs, the creator of one of the largest decentralized trading platforms, is challenging a potential enforcement action by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), arguing that crypto tokens should not be classified as securities. The New York-based firm recently refuted the allegation that it operated as an unregistered exchange and broker-dealer. This response follows the SEC’s issuance of a Wells Notice to Uniswap Labs, signaling its intent to recommend legal action against the company. Uniswap Labs Challenges SEC’s Claims In a 40-page filing submitted to the SEC, Uniswap Labs outlined numerous reasons why the agency’s pursuit of legal action should be reconsidered. The SEC’s claims are primarily based on the assumption that all tokens are securities, a premise that Uniswap Labs disputes. Related Reading: Institutional Investors Pour $942 Million Into Bitcoin, Will This Trigger A Rally To $80,000? Marvin Ammori, Chief Legal Officer of Uniswap Labs, emphasized that tokens are merely a file format for value and not inherently securities. He criticized the SEC’s attempt to redefine the terms “exchange,” “broker,” and “investment contract” to encompass Uniswap’s operations. This year, the SEC has taken action against numerous crypto firms through Wells notices, lawsuits, or settlements. The commission’s scrutiny has increasingly focused on Ethereum and decentralized finance players, including Uniswap, ShapeShift, TradeStation, and Consensys. Additionally, reports suggest that the Ethereum Foundation is under investigation. Distinction Between Tokens And Securities Uniswap Labs believes that the SEC’s case against them is flawed. It fails to recognize the distinction between tokens as files for value and tokens as securities. If the SEC proceeds with a lawsuit accusing Uniswap Labs of operating as an unregistered exchange, it risks facing adverse consequences regarding its authority over crypto tokens. Uniswap Labs warned that such litigation could set a precedent undermining the SEC’s ongoing rulemaking efforts. The company expressed its willingness to litigate if necessary and expressed confidence in a favorable outcome, stating: But we’re prepared to fight. Our lawyers are 2-0 in high-profile SEC cases. Andrew Ceresney, a former head of enforcement at the SEC, represented Ripple in their victory over the SEC. Don Verrilli, a former U.S. solicitor general, has argued more than 50 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and represented Grayscale in its successful case against the SEC. Related Reading: Why Is The Ethereum Price Up 20% Today? SEC Chairman Gary Gensler has consistently maintained that decentralized exchanges are not genuinely decentralized and should fall under the regulator’s purview. Gensler has also argued that many digital assets qualify as unregistered securities subject to SEC regulations. Uniswap Labs, in its response, contended that its governance token, UNI, does not meet the requirements of the Howey Test, a legal framework used to evaluate investment contracts. The company also disputed the SEC’s classification of LP tokens, which are used as securities for liquidity provision in Uniswap pools. Uniswap Labs asserted that LP tokens are accounting tools rather than investment instruments. Uniswap’s native token UNI has seen significant gains of nearly 20% in the last 24 hours alone, as the market rebounded from a two-month consolidation period to trade at $9.34. Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com
Hayden Adams, founder of the Uniswap protocol, has shared his opinion on what characterizes a good distribution or rollout of a token. In a recent post on the X platform, the prominent crypto figure listed 10 qualities of good token distributions, highlighting the complexities surrounding the launch of a cryptocurrency. Uniswap Founder Gives Opinion On Good Token Distributions Adams began his take on good token distributions by stating that projects should allocate “tokens, not points” to the community. This phrase implies that participants should receive actual tokens that hold value within a particular ecosystem or on a network, instead of receiving points that may have limited utility. Secondly, Adams warned against creating ambiguity or being vague about a token distribution to increase the number of participants or to “farm the farmers.” A good token distribution practice includes sharing real details when ready, according to the Uniswap founder. Related Reading: Crypto Expert Arthur Hayes Says Bitcoin Has Found Its Local Bottom – But Can It Hold This Level? Additionally, Adams criticized “low float tokens,” while calling them malicious. The prominent DeFi figure urged project teams to ensure sufficient tokens are available in circulation to prevent manipulation and allow genuine price discovery. Adams also discouraged hyping a token’s price and how it will skyrocket before it launches. The founder believes hiring an influencer or a marketing company to promote a token’s value only depicts a get-rich-quick scheme rather than a genuine attempt at building real value. What’s more, the Uniswap founder stressed the importance of free token airdrops during token distributions. “Don’t be stingy – give a significant amount away. If you don’t think the community deserves a significant amount, don’t release a token,” Adams said in his post. Ultimately, Adams advised new crypto projects to be careful and thoughtful in their decision-making to avoid making mistakes that might put them at odds with the crypto community. “Create something you’re proud of and stand behind it,” the Uniswap founder added. A Jab At Friend.tech and its FRIEND? At the beginning of his post, the Uniswap founder clearly stated that the opinion is not aimed at any specific project. However, the timing is interesting, especially after social media platform Friend.tech’s “unsuccessful” token airdrop. Related Reading: Injective (INJ) Price In Danger If It Falls To Crucial Support Level: Analyst On Friday, May 3rd, Friend.tech airdropped its new FRIEND tokens to users in conjunction with the launch of the protocol’s version 2. While the token’s value quickly rose to $167 after launch, FRIEND’s price nosedived to below $2 within a few hours. Analysts pinpointed liquidity issues and a mass sell-off as the primary reasons behind the downturn of FRIEND and, ultimately, the ineffectual token launch. Moreover, many users complained about how challenging it was to claim the token airdrop, as technical drawbacks reportedly frustrated the process. UNI price stalls at $7.5 on the daily timeframe | Source: UNIUSDT chart on TradingView Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView
Trading activity on the Uniswap decentralized exchange dipped by almost 10% the past day after the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a Wells notice to Uniswap Labs, the entity behind it. Data from DeFillama shows that Uniswap’s facilitated trades worth $2.7 billion across several blockchain networks, including Ethereum, Arbitrum, Coinbase-backed Base, and others. […]
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