CTF Written Submission

There Must Be Some Kinda Way Out of Here[1] Part I -- Security Status[2]

March 12, 2025
  • The definition of "Security" for the '33 Act should be "Something sold in a Capital Raise," with exclusions similar to current ones. The '34 Act should maintain its current definition of "Security" with a clarification that the Howie test investment contract analysis is not applicable to secondary sale transactions.
  • The SEC should regulate activities involving delegated staking, where a third-party generates a return based on the provision of compute resources or liquidity, as these activities likely constitute an "investment contract."
  • The Commission should address the status of liquid staking tokens under federal securities laws, recognizing that these tokens are not issued in a Capital Raise and should not be subject to regulation under the '33 Act.

Last Reviewed or Updated: April 3, 2025