As an experienced financial analyst, I believe this ruling by the Illinois court is a significant development in the regulatory landscape for cryptocurrencies. The confirmation that both Bitcoin and Ethereum are considered commodities under the Commodity Exchange Act is important as it brings clarity to the market and reduces uncertainty.


The Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Rostin Benham, has announced that a court in Illinois has made an official decision, classifying Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) as commodities. This ruling effectively puts an end to the CFTC’s dispute with its counterpart agency regarding jurisdiction over cryptocurrencies.

During a Senate committee hearing on Wednesday, Benham stated in prepared remarks that the court’s ruling confirmed that Bitcoins and Ethereums are classified as commodities according to the Commodity Exchange Act.

Ethereum A Commodity, Court Confirms

The chairman made mention of a ruling from July 3rd, handed down by Judge Mary Rowland in an Illinois federal court, which determined that the defendants in a cryptocurrency dispute had engaged in fraudulent activities and neglected to comply with the registration requirements under the Commodity Exchange Act.

As a crypto investor, if I came across such an announcement from Sam Ikkurty in Oregon, I would interpret it as follows: Sam promised us, potential investors, a yearly return of 15% on our investments. He assured us that these returns would be paid out in the form of digital asset commodities, encompassing both Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH).

Last Wednesday, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced that Bitcoin and Ethereum are considered commodities under its regulatory purview. Additionally, the CFTC identified OHM and Klima as two non-Bitcoin virtual currencies that also fall into this category.

Although Bitcoin’s regulatory status has been well-established, there remains ambiguity regarding Ether. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has yet to issue a definitive stance on whether they consider Ether to fall under their regulatory purview.

Recent advancements have led the crypto community to believe that Ether has effectively been classified as a commodity. In May, the SEC gave the green light for listing Ether-based spot Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), labeling them as “commodity trust shares” in their approval orders. Additionally, they recently concluded their investigation into ConsenSys without charging them with dealing with an unregistered security related to ETH.

The unspoken recognition of Ethereum (ETH) as a commodity has encouraged crypto companies like VanEck to apply for a Solana Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF). They contend that Solana (SOL) shares similarities with Ethereum and, consequently, should also be classified as a commodity.

The Call For CFTC Crypto Authority

In his testimony before Congress, Benham asked for the power to mandate disclosure information about the design of commodity-token offerings from registrants with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), prior to their release.

He emphasized the significance of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in regulating digital tokens that are considered securities. Therefore, the committee should adopt a thoughtful approach when deciding whether certain tokens fall under the category of commodities or securities based on current legislation.

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2024-07-11 00:16