Robinhood’s cryptocurrency division has agreed to pay a $3.9 million settlement following a authorized dispute with California’s Division of Justice (DOJ).
The case revolved round accusations that the platform blocked customers from withdrawing crypto from 2018 to 2022.
A press launch printed on September 4 revealed that this was the DOJ’s first motion focusing on a cryptocurrency firm.
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California Legal professional Basic Rob Bonta said that Robinhood Crypto LLC violated state commodity legal guidelines by promoting crypto contracts with out delivering the precise property to clients. Traders had been unable to withdraw their cryptocurrencies and needed to promote them again to Robinhood to depart the platform.
The investigation additional discovered that Robinhood falsely claimed to carry buyer property when, the truth is, they had been typically managed by third-party buying and selling platforms. Moreover, the corporate misled clients with false guarantees about connecting to varied buying and selling venues for higher costs.
Robinhood neither admitted nor denied any wrongdoing within the settlement, finalized on August 31.
The phrases of the settlement embody not simply the monetary penalty but in addition reforms to Robinhood’s operations. The corporate should now guarantee customers can withdraw their crypto holdings to exterior wallets, make clear the way it handles trades and orders, and be clear about who’s answerable for storing buyer property.
Bonta remarked:
Our investigation and settlement with Robinhood ought to ship a powerful message: Whether or not you are a brick-and-mortar retailer or a cryptocurrency firm, you will need to adhere to California’s client and investor safety legal guidelines.
With this settlement, Robinhood seeks to maneuver previous the allegations, whereas regulators proceed to give attention to guaranteeing transparency and client safety throughout the crypto trade.
Robinhood was additionally not too long ago focused by the US Securities and Change Fee (SEC), receiving a Wells discover because of suspected securities violations.
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