Former SEC Chairman Jay Clayton tips new Bitcoin regulations are coming

For years, many Bitcoin Maximalists have claimed that Bitcoin is immune to government regulations and bans. But they might be proved wrong soon…In a recent CNBC interview, Former US Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Jay Clayton says that Bitcoin has not been classified as a security for a long time, and warns that its status as a non-security still does not protect it from the imposition of new regulations, which he warned could be coming soon.Host Andrew Ross Sorkin pointed out that under Clayton’s watch, the SEC did not take a position on Bitcoin regulation. Clayton responded that was because the asset was declared not to be a security before he even took up his position as the head of the regulatory body.“Bitcoin was decided to be not a security before the time I got to the SEC. Therefore, the SEC’s jurisdiction over Bitcoin was rather indirect.”Clayton has remained in the industry following his departure from the SEC in December 2020 and currently advises One River Asset Management on cryptocurrencies.Although he professes not to have any special insights into what new laws are coming from his time heading up the SEC, he believes the regulatory environment is due for a shake up.“Where digital assets land at the end of the day will be driven in part by regulation — both domestic and international — and I expect, and I’m speaking as a citizen now, that regulation will come in this area both directly and indirectly whether it’s through how these are held at banks, security accounts, taxation and the like. We will see this regulatory environment evolve.”Clayton’s comments come just a week after billionaire hedge fund manager Ray Dalio warned that the U.S. may ban Bitcoin outright just as they did with gold in the 1930s.His comments about Bitcoin’s…