US financial watchdog the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) has filed charges against crypto lending firms Gemini and Genesis.

On 12 January, SEC sued the firms over their crypto lending product, Earn, for allegedly breaching investor protection laws.

## The Gemini SEC lawsuit

The [Gemini](https://www.gemini.com/) SEC civil lawsuit has been filed in the Federal Court of Manhattan. As per the SEC, both companies did not register their product before offering them to individual investors. The regulator claims that the Earn program has been used to sell unregistered securities. 

The crypto lending program allowed the exchange’s customers to lend their assets to [Genesis](https://genesistrading.com/) to earn up to 8% interest. The crypto exchange also profited by charging a fee of around 4.29% through this program.

Both these partner firms are under scrutiny after Genesis paused withdrawals unexpectedly in November. Interestingly, it happened right after the FTX exchange crashed. As per the SEC, at that time, the cryptocurrency lending program had more than [$900 million worth of crypto assets](/news/article/genesis-brokers-owes-gemini) of their customers. With this lawsuit, the commission is looking to recover illegal profits and fines for the offence. 

## Tyler Winklevoss's statement on Gemini SEC charges

Soon after the Gemini SEC lawsuit was filed, Gemini’s co-founder, [Tyler Winklevoss](/news/article/tyler-winklevoss-twitter), issued a statement via [Twitter](https://twitter.com/tyler/status/1613674691507679233). He said, "We look forward to defending ourselves against this manufactured parking ticket...".

He also showed his resolve to continue work to recover customers' assets.

On the other hand, Genesis Global Capital is yet to comment on the issue. 

Since the pause of withdrawals, the lending partner has been seeking ways to recover. However, the Wall Street Journal recently reported that the firm might have to file for [Chapter 11 bankruptcy](https://www.uscourts.gov/services-forms/bankruptcy/bankruptcy-basics/chapter-11-bankruptcy-basics). The firm has already laid off more than 30% of its workforce in the last week.

Gemini and Genesis have ties with the [fallen exchange](/news/article/gemini-crypto-exchange-falls-prey), FTX, and have been in losses since its decline.



gemini and Genesis logos over red image of US SEC building

Genesis and Gemini: SEC Takes Action

Tyler Winklevoss, a US investor and the co-founder of Winklevoss Capital Management and Gemini cryptocurrency exchange, called the Twitter culture "toxic" after the social network-residing community called out Tesla's owner Elon Musk for becoming its biggest individual shareholder.

Winklevoss said the resistance inside Twitter to Musk's attempt to ensure that it is a platform for free speech has been “alarming”. 

“These people are committed to Soviet-style censorship. Their beliefs and ideology are patently un-American. It's time to clean the Augean stables,” he wrote.
Winklevoss was optimistic about this acquisition even when it seemed like one of Musk's jokes. He warned that the Twitter community would see in a short time how malevolent and politically directed the "shadow banning" and algorithms were and how dangerous this all was for the democracy in total.

## Breaking Corruption Between Big Tech and Media

However, he called out the big tech saying that this buyout will finally break the corrupted circle between tech behemoths and the corporate media once Musk restarts Twitter. Winklevoss also commented that Twitter stock has been flat for many years, and now, Musk has come to change this. He called Musk the "most proven and successful entrepreneur in the world" and added that this is a great time for free speakers.

Tyler is also known to be a prominent opponent of Biden’s plan to make massive investments in America’s social safety net. He recently contributed a maximum legal amount to the conservative democratic senator Krysten Sinema who demanded cuts to bring down the cost of the $3.5 trillion plan.

Together with his twin brother Cameron, Tyler is believed to be the first Bitcoin billionaire. 

The brothers are known for giving money to numerous cryptocurrency and blockchain-related businesses, Gemini exchange being one of them. Apart from Bitcoin, he is also one of the most agile Ethereum investors. Brothers stated together that they own 1% of all Bitcoin in circulation.

## Gemini Partners with Mastercard

Recently, [Winklevoss](https://twitter.com/tyler/status/1518612871239843840) announced that Gemini has partnered with Mastercard and WebBank to launch the Gemini Credit Card that brings DeFi together with the traditional financial system (TradFi). 

Tyler founded Gemini back in 2014, making it one of the most successful digital currency exchanges and custodians that allows customers to buy, sell, and store digital assets. It is a New York trust company regulated by the SEC.

The Winklevoss brothers featured in the film 'The Social Network', about the origins of Facebook. This film suggested that the original idea of Facebook was theirs. While students at Harvard at the same time as Mark Zuckerberg, Tyler and Cameron approached him to develop their social network project, ConnectU. Zuckerberg went on to create Facebook.

In August 2012, they purchased $11 million worth of [Bitcoin](/coins/btc). At that time, Bitcoin wasn't even worth $10.

Now the Winklevoss twins own at least 150,000 BTC. This makes a fortune in Bitcoin of over $6.255 billion. Potentially in the future, that can make them as rich, and possibly even richer, than Mark Zuckerberg.


Tyler Winklevoss Congratulates Musk on Acquiring Twitter

If you only know one thing about Cameron Winklevoss, it might be that he was part of the team that created Facebook.
You may not know that his story didn't end when Facebook became a household name.

Cameron has continued to be a successful entrepreneur, and he has even ventured into the world of cryptocurrency. Here, we take a closer look at Cameron Winklevoss and his impressive career.

## Who are the Winklevoss twins, and what do they do?

Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss are identical twins who are perhaps best known for their role in the early days of Facebook.

The two were born in 1981 and raised in Greenwich, Connecticut. They attended Harvard University, where they studied economics. While at Harvard, they met Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook.

Cameron and Tyler eventually sued Zuckerberg, claiming that he had stolen their idea for a social networking site. An out-of-court settlement saw the twins receiving $65 million in cash and stock.

The twins have turned their attention to investing in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in recent years. They are estimated to be worth billions of dollars after making wise investments in this fledgling industry.

What is the backstory to their legal battle with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg over the origins of Facebook?
Cameron and his brother, Tyler, first came up with the idea for Facebook while attending Harvard University. They asked Mark Zuckerberg, a fellow student, to help them develop the site.

However, after the site was running, Cameron and Tyler accused Zuckerberg of stealing their idea and taking credit for himself.

Despite the settlement mentioned earlier, Cameron asserts that he was wronged by Zuckerberg and that Facebook should have been his.

How did they eventually settle with Zuckerberg, and what did they receive in return?

After a lengthy legal battle, the two parties settled on a deal which included a seat on Facebook's board of directors.

The settlement also included a provision that granted them 1.2% of Facebook's shares. Today, Cameron and Tyler's stake in Facebook is worth billions of dollars.
What investments have the Winklevoss twins made since then, and how have they done so far?

The twins have been busy investing their fortune. In 2013, they invested $11 million in bitcoin, purchasing 1% of all outstanding bitcoins at the time. It proved a good investment, as the price of [Bitcoin](/news/category/bitcoin-news) has surged in recent years.

## What is their opinion on Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies?

Cameron Winklevoss, one of the early investors in Bitcoin, believes that the cryptocurrency is still in its early stages and has much growth potential.

Cameron and his brother started investing in Bitcoin in 2012, when each Bitcoin was worth around $12. At that time, they bought about 1% of all the Bitcoins in circulation.

He believes that Bitcoin still has room to grow, citing its limited supply and increasing demand as two significant factors.

Cameron also points to the many big institutions now investing in Bitcoin, which he sees as a positive sign for cryptocurrency's future.

How has their experience as entrepreneurs shaped their views on business and life?

Cameron Winklevoss is one of the most famous entrepreneurs in the world. He has also started several other successful businesses.

Cameron has become an outspoken advocate for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. He is now a partner at [Gemini,](https://www.gemini.com/) a cryptocurrency exchange.

In an interview, Cameron talked about how his entrepreneurial experiences have shaped his views on business and life in general.

He said that "entrepreneurship is all about making the impossible possible. It's about seeing opportunities where others see only risk".

Cameron also said that entrepreneurship taught him the importance of "thinking big" and taking risks. These lessons have helped him become a successful investor and businessman


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