US tightens crackdown on crypto with lawsuits against Coinbase, Binance

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission logo and representations of cryptocurrency are seen in this illustration taken June 6, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

(This June 6 story has been refiled to change the corporate name to Bittrex Inc from Bittrex Global in paragraph 16)

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The top U.S. securities regulator sued cryptocurrency platform Coinbase on Tuesday, the second lawsuit in two days against a major crypto exchange, in a dramatic escalation of a crackdown on the industry and one that could dramatically transform a market that has largely operated outside regulation.