The investigation predates an insider trading tipping case involving a former Coinbase product manager which saw charges brought last week. The ex-employee was one of three people to be charged by the DoJ and the SEC.
However, while the DoJ charges did not mention securities, the separate SEC charges did. Of the 25 crypto assets that the defendants allegedly purchased with insider information, "at least nine" were securities, said a statement from the watchdog.This provoked a forceful response from Coinbase chief legal officer Paul Grewal who posted a blog entitled: "Coinbase does not list securities.
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