South Carolina has turn into the newest US state to dismiss its lawsuit in opposition to crypto alternate Coinbase over its staking companies, which had accused the crypto alternate of providing unregistered securities.
The lawsuit was formally dismissed in a joint stipulation between the crypto alternate and the South Carolina Legal professional Normal’s securities division on March 27.
“South Carolina simply joined Vermont to dismiss its unfounded staking lawsuit in opposition to Coinbase,” the agency’s chief authorized officer, Paul Grewal, said in a March 27 X submit.
“This isn’t only a victory for us, however for American shoppers and we hope it is a signal of issues to come back within the few states left that prohibit staking.”
South Carolina Legal professional Normal and Coinbase’s joint stipulation. Supply: South Carolina Attorney General
South Carolina and Vermont had been two of 10 US states that took authorized motion in opposition to Coinbase’s staking companies on June 6, 2023 — the identical day that the federal securities regulator filed its lawsuit against the crypto exchange.
The Securities and Trade Fee officially dismissed that lawsuit on Feb. 27, 2025.
The opposite eight US states that filed enforcement motion just like South Carolina had been Alabama, California, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, Washington and Wisconsin.
Grewal mentioned he hoped to see different states comply with go well with and that South Carolina residents misplaced an estimated $2 million in staking rewards because of the lawsuit.
“The 52 million Individuals who personal crypto deserve commonsense shopper protections and clear guidelines,” he mentioned. “We applaud South Carolina for standing up for justice and hope the remaining states with bans on staking will take discover.”
South Carolina introduces Bitcoin reserve invoice
In the meantime, a state lawmaker has simply launched the “Strategic Digital Belongings Reserve Act of South Carolina” on March 27, which may see the state treasurer allocate as much as 10% of sure state funds to cryptocurrencies akin to Bitcoin (BTC).
Not like most US state crypto reserve payments, North Carolina’s Home Invoice 4256, introduced by Rep. Jordan Tempo, talked about Bitcoin on a number of events for the Strategic Digital Belongings Reserve that the invoice seeks to ascertain.
Supply: Jordan Pace
The invoice permits South Carolina’s treasurer, presently Curtis Loftis, to ascertain a Bitcoin reserve that exceeds no more than 1 million Bitcoin — a excessive ceiling that the US federal authorities can also be trying to attain or exceed with its recently established Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
The treasurer would be capable of add Bitcoin to South Carolina’s Normal Fund, the Finances Stabilization Reserve Fund another funding fund that they handle.
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Whereas no point out of stablecoins, non-fungible tokens, Ether (ETH) or another crypto tokens was made, the Home invoice mentioned the Strategic Digital Belongings Reserve wouldn’t be restricted to Bitcoin.
According to Bitcoin Legislation, 42 Bitcoin reserve payments have been launched on the state degree in 19 states, and 36 of these 42 payments stay reside.
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to create a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a Digital Asset Stockpile, each of which is able to initially use cryptocurrency forfeited in authorities felony circumstances.
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