Gary Gensler, the Chairman of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has joined crypto proponents in congratulating Satoshi Nakamoto on the 15th anniversary of the publication of the Bitcoin (BTC) Whitepaper.
As the overseer of the broader financial market in the US, Gary Gensler acknowledges the significant role played by Satoshi Nakamoto in starting the crypto revolution that we have today. In a post on X, the SEC Chair expressed his appreciation, saying:
“If Satoshi Nakamoto went as Satoshi Nakamoto for Halloween, would we be able to tell? Happy 15th anniversary to Satoshi’s famous white paper that started crypto.”
Since the introduction of the Bitcoin Whitepaper, the crypto market has grown exponentially, with a total market capitalization of $1.27 trillion. This market now includes over 20,000 altcoins, thousands of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), and various Decentralized Finance (DeFi) protocols. While Bitcoin was the catalyst for this thriving ecosystem, it has expanded far beyond BTC.
Over the past few years, the SEC has been actively combating fraud in the crypto industry and has filed lawsuits against several crypto businesses. However, some industry experts argue that these actions are a witch hunt. One notable case is the Ripple lawsuit filed by former SEC Chair Jay Clayton.
Although the Ripple lawsuit is still ongoing, there have been some positive developments for the company. The charges against its executives have been dropped, and XRP has been declared a non-security by Judge Analisa Torres. Despite these outcomes, Gary Gensler, in his latest post, still emphasizes the importance of crypto firms complying with securities laws.
Many crypto enthusiasts have taken to Gary Gensler's timeline to express their demands from the SEC. One of the key demands is the approval of Bitcoin spot Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) applications, a product that industry players have been pursuing for the past decade.
According to SEC Chair Gensler, the agency is currently reviewing approximately 8 to 10 applications. Among the firms awaiting feedback are BlackRock, Fidelity, Ark Invest, and Bitwise. This time, the caliber of applicants, including BlackRock with a successful track record of securing approvals, and pressure from lawmakers, may influence the SEC's decision.
With Gary Gensler recognizing Satoshi Nakamoto and the significance of the Bitcoin Whitepaper, there is a possibility that he may pave the way for the next phase of market evolution through the approval of Bitcoin spot ETFs.
