Binance’s BUSD Stablecoin May Soon Face SEC Enforcement, Here’s Why

Sources familiar with the matter said that SEC's Wells notices hint at enforcement action on Paxos over its issuance and listing of BUSD.
By Bhushan Akolkar
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The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is reportedly looking into suing Paxos Trust Co. the issuer of the world’s third-largest stablecoin BUSD. The development comes just within a week of New York regulator NYDFS launching an investigation into the company.

This could be another major escalation by the SEC after its first attack on crypto staking last week. People familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal that the SEC’s enforcement staff issued a letter to Paxos dubbed Well notice. The securities regulator uses this letter to inform companies regarding upcoming enforcement.

In its letter, the SEC noted that Binance’s BUSD, the Paxos-issued stablecoin serves as an unregistered security. BUSD is currently the third-largest stablecoin in the crypto space with a market cap of $16.1 billion.

Similar to the top-two stablecoins, BUSD is pegged to the USD in a one-to-one ratio. Paxos started issuing BUSD stablecoin back in 2019 as the two entered a partnership back in 2019. However, it still isn’t clear if the SEC’s notice specifically relates to Paxos’s issuance of BUSD, listing BUSD, or both.

Speaking to WSJ, a Paxos company spokeswoman said: “Paxos is not commenting on any individual matter”. Binance said that BUSD is being issued by Paxos which licenses its brand. “We will continue to monitor the situation,” it said.

NYDFS Investigating Paxos Over BUSD

Last week, the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) also started probing Paxos over concerns regarding its issuance of Binance’s BUSD stablecoin. An SEC spokesperson told Bloomberg:

“The department is in continuous contact with regulated entities to understand vulnerabilities and risks to consumers and the institutions themselves from crypto market volatility we are experiencing”.

Over the Wells notices, Binance can issue a response to the SEC explaining why it shouldn’t proceed with the lawsuit. The Wells notices aren’t the final indication that the SEC would initiate an action. To authorize this enforcement settlement, the agency’s five commissioners have to vote.

So far, the SEC hasn’t taken any major action against the top stablecoin issuers in the market. However, the agency is increasing its scrutiny in the market every passing day.

Clarifying its market position, Binance said: “BUSD is a 1-to-1 backed stablecoin that is one of the most transparent stablecoins in existence”.

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Bhushan Akolkar
Bhushan is a seasoned crypto writer with over eight years of experience spanning more than 10,000 contributions across multiple platforms like CoinGape, CoinSpeaker, Bitcoinist, Crypto News Flash, and others. Being a Fintech enthusiast, he loves reporting across Crypto, Blockchain, DeFi, Global Macros with a keen understanding in financial markets. 

He is committed to continuous learning and stays motivated by sharing the knowledge he acquires. In his free time, Bhushan enjoys reading thriller fiction novels and occasionally explores his culinary skills. Bhushan has a bachelors degree in electronics engineering, however, his interest in finance and economics drives him to crypto and blockchain.
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