In a blow to the momentum of the Uniswap native token, UNI, the decentralized exchange (DEX) has been forced to postpone a highly anticipated proposal that would have improved its token governance and fee distribution model. 

Meanwhile, the company is also locked in a legal battle with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over the regulatory status of its UNI token.

On Friday, the Uniswap Foundation announced that it was delaying the deployment of the first proposal to activate Uniswap Protocol Governance. The foundation cited the need for additional due diligence on “a new issue” raised by a stakeholder, underscoring the sensitivity of the proposed upgrade. The Foundation further stated:

This was unexpected, and we apologize for the postponement. We will keep the community apprised of any material changes and will update you all once we feel more certain about future timeframes.

The shelved proposal aimed to streamline Uniswap’s fee mechanisms, allowing UNI token holders who have staked and delegated their tokens to be rewarded. It would have increased the efficiency of fee adjustments and reduced the governance burden on delegates while maintaining the protocol’s “credible neutrality.”

The delay has had a tangible impact on UNI’s price, as seen in the token’s daily UNI/USD chart above. The token has slid down to the key support level at $10.20—an 8.6% decline in the past 24 hours. Should the token fail to regain bullish momentum and the $10 support level, it could retrace further to $9.66 and potentially as low as $9.33.

Adding to Uniswap’s challenges, the company is embroiled in a high-stakes legal battle with the SEC. The regulatory agency has issued a Wells Notice to Uniswap Labs, signaling its intent to recommend enforcement action against the firm.

Uniswap Labs has pushed back, arguing that the SEC’s case is flawed and fails to recognize the distinction between tokens as stores of value and tokens as securities. The company has expressed confidence in a favorable outcome, noting that its legal team has a strong track record of victories against the SEC, stating:

But we’re prepared to fight. Our lawyers are 2-0 in high-profile SEC cases. Andrew Ceresney, a former head of enforcement at the SEC, represented Ripple in their victory over the SEC. Don Verrilli, a former U.S. solicitor general, has argued more than 50 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and represented Grayscale in its successful case against the SEC.

Despite these setbacks, Uniswap continues to demonstrate substantial growth, with a total value locked (TVL) of $6.1 billion and a market capitalization of $7.7 billion, according to DeFiLlama data. 

Moreover, CoinGecko data shows that the UNI token’s trading volume has increased by 21.5% over the past 24 hours, reaching $264 million.

As the Uniswap community awaits updates on the delayed governance proposal and the outcome of the SEC battle, the platform’s long-term prospects will likely hinge on its ability to navigate these challenges and maintain its position in the market. 

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com

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