Cryptocurrencies will be one of the examination priorities of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 2019. According to the SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE), this will be done with a view of protecting retail investors in the nascent asset class. Among the market activities that the OCIE will monitor include the ‘offer and sale, trading, and management of digital assets’. In cases where the digital asset is classified as a security, the goal of the SEC’s compliance wing will be to ensure regulatory compliance. Going forward, market participants in the digital asset space ... (full story)