Earlier this year, crypto lending platform BlockFi started facing the heat from state regulators in New Jersey, Texas, and Alabama. Other states have joined the fold since then, as well. Celsius this week is now facing similar cease and desist demands from all three of the same states that BlockFi first faced.
Let’s take a look at what we know thus far, and what it could potentially mean for DeFi moving forward.
Regulators Reach: What Celsius Is Facing
It’s becoming quickly apparent that Celsius is joining the fight in facing regulators in the same vein that BlockFi has. On Friday, Texas officials filed a cease and desist order against Celsius. The filing will require Celsius to show the state why it shouldn’t be ordered to stop offering it’s products to state residents. Celsius, like BlockFi, faces accusations that it is offering residents unregistered securities. The Texas hearing is scheduled for February 24.
Both Alabama and New Jersey seemingly issued similar actions on the same day. New Jersey ordered the platform to stop offering select products by November 1. In a similar action, Alabama demanded that the platform show why it shouldn’t be halted from offering products within 28 days.
A Celsius representative told Bloomberg that the firm is “disappointed these actions have been filed and wholeheartedly disagree with the allegations being made that Celsius has not complied with the law,” adding that the platform would not be making any immediate changes in services for clients.
