Terraform Reaches $4.47 Billion Settlement with SEC Over UST Stablecoin Collapse
Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes
Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 minutes to learn more
In a major development for the crypto industry, Terraform Labs has agreed to pay a massive $4.47 billion to settle charges brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) related to the collapse of its TerraUSD (UST) stablecoin in 2022.
On June 12, 2024, the SEC filed a proposed final judgment in federal court, asking a judge to approve the settlement.
If the court accepts the deal, it would require Terraform to pay $3.58 billion in disgorgement of ill-gotten gains plus a $420 million penalty. The agreement would also bar Terraform co-founder Do Kwon from serving as an officer or director of any public company.
The SEC’s lawsuit, first filed in February 2023, accused Terraform and Kwon of fraud and misleading investors about the risks of UST, an “algorithmic” stablecoin designed to maintain a $1 value through financial engineering. When UST lost its dollar peg in May 2022, it triggered a wider crypto market crash that wiped out billions in value.
In a statement, the SEC said the proposed settlement would “send an unmistakable deterrent message” to others in crypto who try to evade securities laws. The agency noted that if approved, the judgment would provide “meaningful and speedy recovery” for investors who collectively lost billions in the UST implosion.
Terraform Labs Founder Do Kwon Faces More Penalties
In April 2024, a jury already found Terraform and Kwon liable for civil fraud charges. While Terraform’s lawyers argued any fines should be minimal, the SEC pushed for over $5 billion in penalties, making this one of the largest-ever settlements in crypto.
For his part, Kwon would be required to pay around $204 million to a Terraform bankruptcy estate to compensate harmed investors. A spokesperson for the company declined to comment on the settlement.
The resolution of this high-profile case may bring some closure to the UST saga, which severely damaged public trust in stablecoins and algorithmic tokens. However, the sheer size of the settlement underscores the SEC’s increasingly aggressive stance toward crypto enforcement.
As regulators continue to grapple with how to police the fast-evolving world of digital assets, the Terraform outcome shows the costly consequences that projects can face for running afoul of securities laws. While the specifics of this case are unique, it sends a clear signal that crypto is not immune from regulatory oversight and consumer protection standards.
When trading the crypto market, it doesn’t have to be “hit or miss.” Safeguard your portfolio with trades that actually yield results, just like our premium crypto signals on Telegram.
Interested in learning how to day trade crypto? Get all the information you need here
