Binance vs. CFTC: Latest court battle could alter crypto landscape in US

cointelegraph.com:

Regulatory trouble is nothing new for Binance, and on many occasions, in the past, it has managed to overcome or bypass such roadblocks and eventually work with regulators. 

However, when it comes to the United States, the exchange has found itself in the cross-hairs of multiple agencies.

A number of United States financial regulators have ongoing investigations against the crypto exchange. Some of these investigations date back to 2018, and now, one of the primary derivatives market regulators in the U.S. has filed a lawsuit in conjunction with its investigation that started in early 2021.

The U.S. Commodities Futures Trading Commission filed a lawsuit against Binance along with its CEO, Changpeng Zhao, and former chief compliance officer Samuel Lim on March 28.

The lawsuit alleges that Binance violated U.S. derivatives laws by offering its derivative trading services to U.S. customers without registering with appropriate market regulators. The CFTC accused Binance of prioritizing commercial success over regulatory compliance.

The lawsuit also made headlines because the CFTC has not only levied charges against the exchange but also against Zhao and Lim. The U.S. regulator has also accused Binance and its CEO of seven violations of the Commodities Exchange Act and controlled foreign company rules.

David Waugh, managing editor of the Daily Economy at the American Institute for Economic Research, told Cointelegraph that the CFTC lawsuit isn’t surprising considering the U.S. government’s overarching approach toward cryptocurrency enterprises — regulators seem to be employing every conceivable measure to curb the industry’s expansion.

The CFTC has actively gone after large companies, having previously opened regulatory