Retail trading giant Robinhood is settling with the state of California for millions of dollars after an investigation uncovered users were stymied from withdrawing their funds.

In a new press release, California’s Department of Justice says that Attorney General Robert Bonta settled with the crypto branch of Robinhood for $3.9 million for failing to let customers withdraw crypto from their accounts between 2018 and 2022.

According to the state, Robinhood was in violation of the law because it allegedly sold commodities to traders without actually delivering the assets and then would not let customers withdraw their crypto to leave the platform. Instead, customers were allegedly forced to sell back their crypto in order to leave Robinhood.

Furthermore, the investigation concluded that Robinhood misled customers by claiming that its trading platform was operating through multiple marketplaces to find the best price on assets and that the platform itself would be holding customer assets.

As stated by Bonta in the press release,

“While cryptocurrency is fairly new, California has strong and enduring consumer protection laws that protect Californians against misrepresentation, including by cryptocurrency companies. Our investigation and settlement with Robinhood should send a strong message: Whether you’re a brick-and-mortar store or a cryptocurrency company, you must adhere to California’s consumer and investor protection laws.”

In addition to paying the penalty, Robinhood has also agreed to let customers withdraw their crypto assets from the platform to their own crypto wallets and to provide customers with proper disclosures and updates.

In the official settlement agreement, Robinhood did not admit or deny any violations of the law.

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The city of Santa Monica, California officially added a “Bitcoin Office” section on its website to bolster industry partnerships and increase employment opportunities.

The move comes about a month after the Santa Monica City Council unanimously approved a pilot program for the Santa Monica Bitcoin (BTC) Office.

The initiative is being implemented at no cost to the city, officials say.

Following the approval of The City Council, Santa Monica unveiled the new section on its website on Thursday, Aug. 8. 

The city’s administration is reportedly collaborating with the Proof of Workforce Foundation to educate Santa Monica-based residents and businesses about BTC and its transformative potential in the modern economy.

The Proof of Workforce Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bridging the gap between emerging digital technologies and local communities. The foundation, created in 2023, plans to equip individuals with the skills needed for the evolving job market and driving economic growth in Santa Monica. 

Beyond its educational mandate, the Bitcoin Office aims to foster partnerships within the Bitcoin industry to bolster Santa Monica’s economic recovery and create new job opportunities.

According to the website page, the office will facilitate strategic collaborations to strengthen the local economy and position the “Silicon Beach” as a leading hub for Bitcoin innovation.

The office’s launch was followed by a promotional post about an upcoming Bitcoin festival, Bitcoin Peer-to-Peer, on X. According to the post, Santa Monica plans to host the event on Oct. 18, a day after the proposed date. 

“Blockchains are the most advanced tool any organization can leverage to maximize efficiency, maintain compliance and protect consumer data – vital components for a government serving its constituents,” said John Wu, president of Ava Labs, an Avalanche ecosystem development organization.