Supreme Court overturns Chevron deference, reshapes crypto policy

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The US Supreme Court's 6-3 decision to overturn the Chevron doctrine marks a significant shift in federal regulatory power, with potentially far-reaching implications for cryptocurrency policy.

The ruling, led by Chief Justice John Roberts, dismantles a 40-year-old legal precedent that required courts to defer to federal agencies’ interpretations of ambiguous laws, potentially posing a substantial impact on the SEC’s approach to cryptocurrency policy.

Under the previous Chevron doctrine, agencies like the SEC had considerable leeway in interpreting and enforcing laws in emerging sectors like cryptocurrencies. The new ruling forces courts to exercise independent judgment when evaluating whether agencies have acted within their legal authority.

For the crypto industry, which has faced regulatory uncertainty and aggressive SEC enforcement actions under Chairman Gary Gensler, this decision could prove advantageous. This would mean that agencies must now be more cautious in their regulatory reach, especially in emerging technologies such as cryptocurrencies and artificial intelligence.

By extension, the ruling may also impact ongoing legal fights between the SEC and major crypto companies such as coin base, Vibe, Binanceand KrakenThese companies have argued that the SEC is overstepping its authority by classifying certain digital assets as securities.

Economist Timothy Peterson sees the decision as a victory for Bitcoin, arguing that it will prevent the SEC from automatically acting as an expert on cryptocurrency matters. This change could lead to closer scrutiny of the SEC's regulatory stance and potentially fairer regulations.

“(The) “Chevron” doctrine meant that the agency charged with enforcing the law was automatically the subject matter expert. Now they are not. #SCOTUS revoking Chevron deference limits the SEC’s unilateral interpretive power against Bitcoin. All those ‘staff opinions’ that said “such and such is a security”? Gone,” Peterson said. in X.

Critics of the Chevron doctrine, mainly conservatives, have long argued that it gave too much power to unelected regulators. However, dissenting Justice Elena Kagan warned of a possible large-scale alteration of federal regulation.

The decision aligns with recent views from figures like Balaji Srinivasan, who suggests that Chevron’s reversal could accelerate innovation in heavily regulated sectors, including crypto.

While the full impact of this decision on cryptocurrency regulation remains to be seen, it could potentially lead to more balanced regulatory approaches and encourage Congress to take explicit steps to clarify existing legal ambiguities.

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