This is false. Commercial paper (not any security) maturing in less than 270 days is exempt from registration. (Like shares in private companies.)
The other provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, still apply.
Sure, don't start manipulating your market or front running everyone.
But for me that's enough. Everyone can issue to everyone and everyone can trade. That's what we're going for. And if you believe that means the SEC can still police and protect gullible easily swayed people, isn't that what everyone wants? That's a perfect medium.
The act does not mention commercial paper, it is clear that the purpose of the exemption is to not disrupt the trade of rich people in the commercial paper market. Even more reason of ignoring the commercial paper assumption and corroborating musings of the regulator. People are just afraid of challenging it because so much money is involved and they don't want to to take a risk as an issuer which typically requires a relationship with the regulator, and a relationship with the investors, and a way to actually make an attractive enough return. Markets weren't fast enough for that most of the time, now it is. Its ripe for disruption and challenge.
The commercial paper registration exemption exists because the Fed regulates it under the Bank Act. If the Fed won't accept your CP at its discount window, the § 3(a)(2) registration exemption doesn't apply [1].
And that aside, I personally think the question of whether Lend is a security is a red herring thrown out by Coinbase. According to Coinbase, the SEC said "they consider Lend to involve a security." Not that it is a security.
It is much more likely that Lend crosses over into bank- or broker-dealer-like activity. This hypothesis is strengthened by the SEC warning Coinbase and not Gemini, who are regulated as a trust company by New York, or Kraken, who are regulated as a bank by Wyoming.
> act does not mention commercial paper
The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which created the SEC, absolutely does, under the section titled "exception for certain bank activities" [2].
[1] https://media2.mofo.com/documents/faqs-commercial-paper-and-...
[2] https://www.nyse.com/publicdocs/nyse/regulation/nyse/sea34.p...
The exceptions make the rule.
Especially the big glaring exception for securities maturing in less than 270 days being completely exempt from the act no matter the nature of the transaction.
There is a difference between excepted practice, regulator musings, and using a plain reading of the law no matter what people think.
Protip: the regulator has no idea which part of the law you are using, and legally cant know when your lawyers have all the supporting documents. Make it more expensive for the regulator to find out, so they’ll choose to go after people without lawyers instead, who cant afford their rights. USA