Breaking: U.S. SEC Chair Drops Another Bomb For Crypto Exchanges; Coinbase In Trouble?

On Thursday, SEC Chair Gary Gensler reiterated his stance that crypto exchanges should not be considered as safe & qualified custodians.
By Pratik Bhuyan
Updated September 6, 2025
crypto news

Crypto News: During a meeting of the Investor Advisory Committee, SEC Chair Gary Gensler announced that a proposed rule would direct investment advisers to look for qualified custodians for the storage of assets, including cryptocurrency. Additionally, he stated that crypto exchanges should not be deemed safe in light of the aforementioned guidelines.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Exchanges Are Not Qualified Custodians

This is the second time that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chief Gary Gensler has expressed his skepticism regarding the possibility that cryptocurrency exchanges serving as secure and certified custodians for investment advisers. Gensler had previously made a similar comment along these lines when he penalized Kraken’s crypto staking services, while Coinbase boasted about its robust custodian service.

Read More: Check Out The Top 10 DeFi Lending Platforms Of 2023

The SEC chief made reference to previous bankruptcies in the crypto industry, emphasizing that the customers’ assets that were held on insolvent platforms are now a part of the estate rather than being returned directly to the customers. While speaking on the subject of qualified custodians in the crypto market, Gensler was quoted as saying:

To be clear, just because a crypto trading platform claims to be a qualified custodian doesn’t mean that it is.

Furthermore, based on how crypto lending and trading platforms generally operate, “investment advisers cannot rely on them today as qualified custodians”, Gensler added. Citing reference to the custody rule adopted in 2009, the SEC supremo stated that the rule also covers a significant amount of crypto assets and that advisers are required to protect investors’ crypto funds and securities with qualified custodians.

Advertisement
Advertisement

SEC’s Growing Crypto Crackdown

Traditional examples of firms that can function as qualified custodians include banking institutions, trust corporations, and securities broker-dealers. In spite of this, throughout the course of the past few years, trading platforms such as Coinbase have begun to offer the service, due to the intricacies involved in preventing assets such as Bitcoin from being stolen or hacked. At the time of writing, the price of Bitcoin (BTC) was trading at around $23,370 with a market cap of $451 billion.

Gensler closed his speech on cryptocurrencies by stating that Congress had endowed the SEC with new powers to expand the custody rule as a consequence of the financial crisis and Bernie Madoff’s frauds. The extended custody regulation would ensure that investment advisers do not misuse, lose, or act irresponsibly with their client’s money.

Also Read: Hedera Onboards Top Coinbase Official To Drive Growth; HBAR Price Poised For Bull Run?

Advertisement
Pratik Bhuyan
Pratik has been a crypto evangelist since 2016 & been through almost all that crypto has to offer. Be it the ICO boom, bear markets of 2018, Bitcoin halving to till now - he has seen it all.
Why trust CoinGape: CoinGape has covered the cryptocurrency industry since 2017, aiming to provide informative insights to our readers. Our journalists and analysts bring years of experience in market analysis and blockchain technology to ensure factual accuracy and balanced reporting. By following our Editorial Policy, our writers verify every source, fact-check each story, rely on reputable sources, and attribute quotes and media correctly. We also follow a rigorous Review Methodology when evaluating exchanges and tools. From emerging blockchain projects and coin launches to industry events and technical developments, we cover all facets of the digital asset space with unwavering commitment to timely, relevant information.
Investment disclaimer: The content reflects the author’s personal views and current market conditions. Please conduct your own research before investing in cryptocurrencies, as neither the author nor the publication is responsible for any financial losses.
Ad Disclosure: This site may feature sponsored content and affiliate links. All advertisements are clearly labeled, and ad partners have no influence over our editorial content.