Record $4.68 billion fines mark SEC’s toughest year on crypto

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) imposed $4.68 billion in fines against crypto companies in 2024, marking the most aggressive regulatory year in the agency’s history, according to a report by Social Capital Markets.

This brings the total fines levied by the regulator since 2013 to $7.42 billion, with 2024 accounting for 63% of the total. The steep rise reflects the SEC’s intensified scrutiny of the crypto sector as it seeks to enforce securities regulations in the growing digital asset market.

The 2024 fines were driven by a record $4.68 billion penalty against Terraform Labs and its co-founder Do Kwon for offering unregistered securities and misleading investors.

The case marked the largest penalty ever imposed by the SEC on a crypto entity. The increase in enforcement follows a quieter 2023 when the agency imposed $150.27 million in fines — resulting in a 3018% year-over-year rise.

Other major cases

According to the report, the SEC’s enforcement has evolved significantly over the past decade as the crypto market has grown and the watchdog has ramped up its supervision of the industry.

Notable cases include the $1.24 billion fine against Telegram in 2019 for conducting an unregistered token sale and the $125 million penalty against Ripple Labs in 2021 for selling XRP as an unregistered security.

In 2022, the SEC fined John and JonAtina Barksdale $102.64 million for orchestrating a fraudulent initial coin offering (ICO), showcasing the agency’s intent to prosecute both firms and individuals involved in violations.

The report highlighted that since 2013, the SEC has levied $5.08 billion in combined fines across 63 actions targeting both firms and individuals. The agency has increasingly focused on holding company executives accountable alongside the organizations they manage.

Intensifying oversight

The report, which analyzed SEC enforcement actions from 2013 to 2024, highlighted the sharp increase in fines as a reflection of the agency’s intensifying oversight.

From a relatively modest $150.27 million in fines in 2023, the total spiked 3018% this year. The jump marks a significant shift in the SEC’s regulatory approach, with the average fine for crypto-related violations soaring from $5 million per case in 2023 to $426 million in 2024.

The report also highlighted that the SEC has shifted its enforcement strategy in recent years, moving from smaller penalties against mid-sized firms to larger fines in high-profile cases.

In the early years of regulation, annual fines were relatively low, with just $40.7 million imposed in 2013. However, enforcement ramped up with the rise of initial coin offerings (ICOs) and token sales, leading to a surge in penalties, including $1.34 billion in 2019.

By 2024, the SEC has firmly established a trend toward fewer but much larger fines. This shift signals the SEC’s focus on targeting significant violations involving major players in the crypto space, with a clear intent to set industry-wide precedents.

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