The U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) has issued a cease and desist letter to OKCoin, warning the exchange about misleading statements regarding its insurance status.
In a June 15 letter, the FDIC alleged that the exchange and its senior executives made false representations stating or suggesting that certain crypto-related products were FDIC-insured.
The agency ordered the exchange to remove these claims from its website, social media accounts, marketing materials, mobile app, and any other customer-facing publication within 15 business days and provide written confirmation of compliance.
FDIC deposit insurance protects customers by providing coverage for their deposits in the unlikely event of the failure of an FDIC-insured bank. The federal agency insures customers’ deposits of up to $250,000 in registered banks, providing a safety net in case of bank failures. However, it does not cover digital assets deposits.
FDIC cites instances of misrepresentation
The agency cited three instances of misleading statements made by OKCoin concerning its insurance status. These included a blog post advertisement where the exchange claimed it was licensed across the U.S. and its accounts had FDIC insurance.
Another instance cited by the regulator involved the exchange’s statement that the Provenance Blockchain, and its HASH utility token, which is available from OKCoin, have received regulatory approval from SEC, OCC, FED, and the FDIC.
In the third instance, OKCoin’s Chief Marketing Officer tweeted that OKCoin offers FDIC insurance on USD deposits.
According to the FDIC, these statements contain false and misleading representations regarding FDIC deposit insurance and could mislead customers.
“OKCoin is not FDIC-insured and the FDIC does not insure non-deposit products. By not distinguishing between U.S.-dollar deposits and crypto assets, the statements imply FDIC insurance coverage applies to all customer funds (including crypto assets). In addition, the FDIC does not insure or endorse particular blockchains.”
As of press time, OKCoin has not yet responded to CryptoSlate’s request for comment.
In 2022, the FDIC issued similar notices to FTX.US and Voyager Digital.
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