The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Binance have jointly requested another two-month pause in their long-running legal battle. According to a court filing on April 11, both parties described recent discussions as “productive” and noted that ongoing developments could impact the direction of the case.
Ongoing Talks Lead to Second Legal Pause
The joint request, filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, indicates that both the SEC and Binance see value in continuing their discussions outside of the courtroom.
- The SEC initiated the extension request, and Binance agreed.
- The extension would last 60 days.
- The SEC is seeking internal approval for any potential resolution or changes to the case.
Both sides stated the pause supports “judicial economy,” meaning it could help the court avoid unnecessary proceedings while negotiations continue.
This is the second time in 2025 that the judge has been asked to approve such a delay. The previous 60-day extension was granted in February.
Crypto Task Force and Leadership Shifts Influence Case Direction
A major reason for the pause stems from the SEC’s newly formed Crypto Task Force, which both parties believe could reshape the lawsuit’s trajectory.
- The task force was established on January 21, one day after Gary Gensler stepped down as SEC chair.
- Mark Uyeda, known for his crypto-friendly stance, took over as acting chair.
- The task force’s mission includes clarifying regulations, offering registration pathways, and optimizing enforcement actions.
These internal changes at the SEC come at a time when the agency has also dropped several high-profile lawsuits against crypto firms like Coinbase, Kraken, Gemini, Robinhood, and Consensys.
Lawsuit Timeline and Allegations
The SEC’s legal dispute with Binance began in June 2023. The agency filed 13 charges, including:
- Unregistered sales of BNB and Binance USD tokens
- Misconduct related to its staking program and Simple Earn and BNB Vault products
Binance’s U.S. platform and CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao were also named in the lawsuit.
At the end of the current 60-day period, both the SEC and Binance plan to submit another joint status update, keeping the court informed on any progress.
