FILIs Filecoin (FIL) a security?
#84 by market cap · Last updated Oct 19, 2026 (evidence re-checked)At a glance
Unclear- ConfidenceLowLow-MediumHigh
- US exchange accessCoinbase (US incl. NY)
- Regulator (if enacted)SEC or CFTC (undecided)
- Evidence8 sources · 5 official
Is Filecoin (FIL) a security?
Unclear. Not named in the SEC's digital-commodity examples, and no court ruling on the token itself was found.
There's no official US classification yet, so treatment could go either way. Watch for SEC or CFTC statements and exchange listing changes. Pro alerts flag these for you.
What should I do if my token is "unclear"? →
Why this status
- R5: not named in the SEC's digital-commodity examples, and no court ruling on the token itself was found.
- A past SEC case was dismissed without a merits ruling on the token.
Decentralisation ("mature blockchain" test): Not independently assessed. No reliable, sourced data on control or supply concentration was gathered for this review.
Evidence (8 sources)
5 official
- BackgroundThird-partyOct 19, 2026 · CoinGecko
Project description: The Filecoin network achieves staggering economies of scale by allowing anyone worldwide to participate as storage providers.
CoinGecko: Filecoin ↗ - ETFThird-partyOct 19, 2026 · CryptoETF.today
Withdrawn filing(s): Grayscale Filecoin Trust (FIL).
CryptoETF.today filings tracker (third-party; compiled from SEC EDGAR and the Federal Register) ↗ - Exchange listingThird-partyOct 19, 2026 · Coinbase
FIL appears on Coinbase's 'US (incl. NY) Trading Assets' list.
Coinbase Digital Asset Disclosures: 'US (incl. NY) Trading Assets' list ↗ - RegulatorOfficial sourceAbsent / not foundMar 23, 2026 · Federal Register (SEC & CFTC)
FIL is not among the SEC's named examples of digital commodities in the March 2026 interpretation.
SEC interpretation (with CFTC guidance): Application of the Federal Securities Laws to Certain Types of Crypto Assets, Release 33-11412 ↗ - EnforcementOfficial sourceMay 29, 2025 · SEC
The SEC dismissed the Binance case with prejudice in May 2025 as a policy matter.
SEC announces dismissal of civil enforcement action against Binance entities (with prejudice, as a policy matter) ↗ - EnforcementOfficial sourceFeb 27, 2025 · SEC
The SEC dismissed the Coinbase case in Feb 2025, explicitly not based on any assessment of the merits.
SEC announces dismissal of civil enforcement action against Coinbase (with prejudice; not a merits assessment) ↗ - EnforcementOfficial sourceOct 16, 2024 · U.S. District Court, D.D.C. (court record)
The SEC's 2024 proposed amended Binance complaint alleged FIL was offered and sold as a security. The SEC said it alleged the investment contracts, not that the token itself is a security.
SEC v. Binance: proposed amended complaint (lists 10 third-party tokens alleged to have been offered and sold as securities: SOL, ADA, MATIC, FIL, ATOM, SAND, MANA, ALGO, AXS, COTI) ↗ - EnforcementOfficial sourceJun 6, 2023 · SEC
In 2023 the SEC's Coinbase complaint alleged FIL was a crypto asset security.
SEC press release 2023-102: SEC charges Coinbase (complaint identified 13 tokens, incl. SOL, ADA and NEAR, as alleged crypto asset securities) ↗
Rules by country
Unclear (ClarityCheck estimate, low-medium confidence). The CLARITY Act is not law, so today the SEC's and CFTC's existing frameworks apply.
Under MiCA, trading in the EU runs through authorised crypto-asset service providers (CASPs). We haven't yet checked token-specific MiCA white paper filings for FIL. ESMA register ↗
The UK's new FCA cryptoasset regime starts on Oct 25, 2027. Firms can apply from Sept 30, 2026 until Feb 28, 2027. There's no token-by-token classification list; the rules apply to the firms that offer the token. FCA ↗
FIL questions
Is Filecoin (FIL) a security?
Unclear. Not named in the SEC's digital-commodity examples, and no court ruling on the token itself was found. No court or regulator has classified it, so we don't guess. Not legal advice.
Can I buy FIL on US exchanges?
US access: Coinbase (US incl. NY). Availability can differ by state and by exchange. See our exchange safety checker.
What would the CLARITY Act change for FIL?
There's no official US classification yet, so treatment could go either way. Watch for SEC or CFTC statements and exchange listing changes. Pro alerts flag these for you.
How reliable is this FIL status?
Confidence is Low-Medium. It comes from fixed rules applied to 8 cited sources (checked Oct 19, 2026), not from opinion. Statuses can change as courts, regulators and Congress act.
Change log
6 entries
- Status reviewEvidence-based review: status set to 'Unclear' (Low-Medium confidence) using ClarityCheck rules. Replaces earlier illustrative demo data.
- FIL is not among the SEC's named examples of digital commodities in the March 2026 interpretation. Source ↗
- The SEC dismissed the Binance case with prejudice in May 2025 as a policy matter. Source ↗
- The SEC dismissed the Coinbase case in Feb 2025, explicitly not based on any assessment of the merits. Source ↗
- The SEC's 2024 proposed amended Binance complaint alleged FIL was offered and sold as a security. The SEC said it alleged the investment contracts, not that the token itself is a security. Source ↗
- In 2023 the SEC's Coinbase complaint alleged FIL was a crypto asset security. Source ↗
Snapshot Oct 19, 2026 · Prices by CoinGecko