
Lawyer who survived multiple winters, and lived to tell the tale. Partner at @CahillNXT (ofc, my views only here).
London
Joined July 2020
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In January, we published a legal opinion for the @SkyEcosystem detailing arguments on why $DAI and $USDS can be admitted to trading by trading platforms in the EU. Today, we published a follow-up on how all other CASPs can continue offering their services for both. /1
ESMA’s latest opinion on crypto-asset services in relation to so-called “non-MiCA compliant ARTs and EMTs” moves the needle well beyond its 2025 statement with the Commission on the same topic (despite the ‘disclaimer’ in the image), and arguably beyond what MiCA allows. /1
ESMA’s presumption turns a duty about how a CASP treats its clients into a ban on categories of tokens, which Title V does not appear to support. /13
Jonathan Galea retweeted
Replying to @leereiners
@leereiners - Not sure if your post counts as a subtweet, exactly, but I wouldn’t have minded your tagging me. As you know, I’m a firm believer in a robust debate on these important issues, and I have always valued your perspective, even when we disagree – sometime strongly.
The fact here is that your premise is foundationally mistaken. It is Judge Rakoff’s decision that was the outlier and, regardless, referring to a handful of federal cases, almost all of which were decided at a motion to dismiss - the most preliminary stage – as “most of crypto’s history” is uncharacteristically misleading on your part.
The fact is that the federal case law that exists on this topic remains unsettled, but it had unquestionably been trending away from the position you advocate (for example, you failed to mention Judge Orrick’s key decision in Payward, which affirmatively admonishes the SEC for referring to tokens as “crypto asset securities”).
As I wrote about extensively in Ineluctable Modality (which reviewed and indexed every single federal appellate Howey case), courts have consistently taken a flexible view when a purported sale of a product or service appears in economic reality to be more appropriately considered a fundraising scheme subject to the federal securities laws. That’s right on policy and right on law.
However, the position you advocate for in your article is not that, nor is it what is contained in the Clarity Act July text. Howey-type fundraising would remain subject to the federal securities laws and places measured obligations on the fundraising party. (It is fair to ask whether those obligations are too measured, but “Reg Crypto” and most of the features you describe were the subject of a multi-year policy discussion and relatively little has changed in that regard since the January 2026 text.)
The consistent problem you face, and the fundamental flaw of the position you advocate for, is that most tokens are simply not themselves securities in any cognizable way.
That is, unlike any other type of financial instrument recognized as a security, if you examined a given token on its face, assuming it did not provide “disqualifying financial rights”, you would not be able to identify it as a “security”.
Critically most tokens lack the fundamental element of a security - a security’s “ineluctable modality“ if you will - an issuer who, if dissolved and no longer in existence, would mean that the security also no longer exists. That is the case for every other security that has ever existed.
Why is that so essential? Because a security is not the paper, or token, or other means of conveyance, of rights. The security is the inchoate rights themselves, the *legal relationship* that directly binds a holder to an identifiable issuer.
Those rights do not need to be embodied in a formal contract (and as many reading this know, I have disagreed with those suggesting that). An investment scheme subject to the federal securities laws can be created with the wink of an eye, the nudge of an elbow, or any set of actions that reasonably create the four Howey elements.
You and I have discussed this and you know that I agree that many fundraising schemes involving tokens fall neatly within the parameters of our federal security laws.
The problem arises when two third parties deal in something (like a token) that is not itself a security, but has “security-ness” artificially imputed on it in order to achieve a separate policy objective. The persons or entities exchanging that asset have no way of determining with certainty whether or not they are engaged in regulated transaction. This violates fundamental due process and is also essentially unworkable.
(Continues in comments)
Title I of the CLARITY Act would codify crypto’s “separation theory”: a token is not a security, even when it is sold as part of an investment contract. That is an invitation to regulatory arbitrage. My new post explains why: sites.duke.edu/thefinregblog…
Jonathan Galea retweeted
I'm excited to announce Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP as a sponsor of @LawofCodeFM.
Over the past six years, I've had the privilege of interviewing and getting to know @NYcryptolawyer, Sam Enzer, Gregory Strong, @sarahcwy143, @CryptoTaxGuyETH, @ImpermanentGain and many of the other world-class lawyers at Cahill. I was always impressed by the expertise, generosity and kindness they shared with me.
That makes this announcement particularly special.
My mission with Law of Code is to help others understand the legal layer of emerging tech. Each episode takes about 100 hours and includes interviews with anywhere from four to 12-plus legal experts. Cahill lawyers have been on the show for years. Now they're supporting it in a deeper way.
Thank you to Lewis, Sam and the entire @CahillGordon team for the insightful conversations, for sharing widely and for supporting the mission to make law more accessible.
At the @proofoftalk conference tomorrow and on Wednesday - last conference for H1.
Jonathan Galea retweeted
The latest version of the CLARITY Act includes a connective tissue between a non-security (think: network token) and the transaction within which its sold.
@NYcryptolawyer explains why it got that right.
" What the SEC is missing is a tool in its toolbox that CLARITY adds, which is, 'okay, so something that's not a security is sold in a securities transaction.'"
"What happens next? The Howey case law really does not address the what happens next."
What is the CLARITY Act?
How does it protect the 70 million Americans who hold crypto? What does it change about how projects operate?
This @LawofCodeFM podcast explains the history of U.S. digital asset regulation, why regulation-by-enforcement failed and what CLARITY solves, plus remaining steps for this to become law.
Featured: @NYcryptolawyer, @milesjennings, @SH_Brennan, @KyleBligen, @millercwl, Dugan Bliss and snippets from @BillHughesDC, @thatgerald.
By the end of this episode, I promise you'll be in the 99th percentile for understanding the CLARITY Act, regardless of whether you're a lawyer, builder or operator.
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
4:46 Explaining market structure
6:05 @milesjennings on regulatory distortion
10:43 Predecessor bills (RFIA, FIT21)
13:35 Senate Banking markup takeaways @millercwl
15:46 SEC & CFTC
20:37 The Securities Act of 1933
23:07 The Howey Test
25:26 @NYcryptolawyer's Ineluctable Modality of Securities Law
28:51 SEC enforcement
32:32 Why SEC rulemaking isn't enough
37:36 Titles of CLARITY
40:00 Digital commodities
47:29 Howey principles @NYcryptolawyer
54:10 Promoters: originators
58:18 Promoters: related persons
1:04:13 Token taxonomy @milesjennings
1:11:02 Ancillary asset requirements
1:19:34 The certification process
1:28:32 Remaining hurdles for CLARITY
1:34:50 Stablecoin yield
1:38:45 Ethics @KyleBligen
1:45:50 Tax consequences @CryptoTaxGuyETH
1:48:54 Thanking people working on the bill, such as @SenLummis, @gillibrandny, @SenatorTimScott, @SenatorHagerty, @SenThomTillis, @MarkWarner, @SenRubenGallego, f , their staffs & many, many others.
Nothing in this podcast is legal or investment advice.
Very shocking news. Condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.
It is with profound sadness that we announce the unexpected passing of Nathan Allman, Ondo's founder. Our hearts are with his family and loved ones.
Nate’s brilliance, humility, and drive shaped every part of what Ondo is today. His belief in the power of technology to create a more open, accessible financial system lives on in everything we build. The impact he had on this industry, and on all of us personally, cannot be overstated.
Nate also helped us build a durable organization with experienced leaders across all facets of the business. Ian De Bode, Ondo Finance’s longtime President, will serve as CEO. Ian has been leading our strategy, product, and day-to-day operations for over two years and has the full confidence of the leadership team.
We will continue building what Nate started. That is the most meaningful way we know to honor him.








