Crypto law firm Gresham advises against US presence, cites unfavorable regulatory environment Crypto law firm Gresham advises against US presence, cites unfavorable regulatory environment
Law firm Gresham International said US unfavorable regulatory environment has shown that "crypto is not welcome."
2 min read
Updated: Jun. 6, 2023 at 4:52 pm UTC
Cover art/illustration via CryptoSlate. Image includes combined content which may include AI-generated content.
Crypto law firm Gresham International has advised crypto firms not to have a presence within the United States, considering the country’s regulatory posture towards the industry, according to a June 6 press statement shared with CryptoSlate.
“The USA has become unpredictable, making it clear that Crypto is not welcome, even for those who attempt to follow the rules.”
Gresham International stated that firms operating within the country should expect to fully register as a security or commodity, which would remove many of their international protections.
Due to the unfavorable regulatory environment, the law firm said it would no longer offer its services to US-based crypto firms. It added that it would only be “maintaining an office and team for ‘rear guard’ and ‘tier one’ clients only for the time being.”
Legal system reform
Additionally, the law firm continued that the U.S. legal system needs to be reformed as it had “constantly seen a lower standard of legal and compliance work from clients that approach us who have used just U.S.-based Counsel.”
Gresham International said:
“Legal work in the U.S. is often considered lower standard by international lawyers. This is due to the limited training U.S. Lawyers receive. In some states, lawyers do not even need to take a bar exam if they graduate law school. Most U.S. lawyers only take one year of legal studies after university then pass a two-day exam to become a lawyer.”
The law firm is currently assisting Sushi with its international protocol after U.S. Regulators undertook an investigation.
Unfavorable regulatory environment
Crypto firms in the U.S. have operated mainly under unclear regulations, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopting a regulation-by-enforcement approach toward the industry.
For context, the financial regulator has filed multiple lawsuits against some of the largest crypto firms in the country, alleging that they violated federal securities law. Additionally, the Commission’s constant classification of several digital assets as securities has drawn strong reactions from the community.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Congress appears divided towards the emerging industry. While several Republican leaders have pushed bills to regulate the crypto industry, Democrat politicians seem to have adopted an anti-crypto stand.
Posted In: Exchanges, Regulation
Author 
Oluwapelumi Adejumo
Oluwapelumi values Bitcoin's potential. He imparts insights on a range of topics like DeFi, hacks, mining and culture, underlining transformative power.
Featured Story
Advertise Here
In this article
Bitcoin, a decentralized currency that defies the sway of central banks or administrators, transacts electronically, circumventing intermediaries via a peer-to-peer network.