The head of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Jay Clayton, has stated that the regulator is looking into the latest announcements by a number of businesses that they are incorporating bitcoin into their business transactions.

Many government agencies and financial regulators have become concerned by the sharp increase in the number of businesses suddenly investing in bitcoin, with many worried that current regulations are far too lax and could easily give way to criminal activity.

At a Washington D.C. Event on 22nd January, Clayton said that investigations would soon be underway on the surge in new bitcoin business investments, noting that particular attention will be given to the matter of investor disclosures.

He announced during the conference that the agency would be investigating businesses who were seeking to capitalise on bitcoin, striving to ensure that all disclosures complied with the law. By way of example, he stated that it was unacceptable for any business who did not possess a history of blockchain commercialisation to dip their toes in the blockchain waters; to change their company name to \"Blockchain-R-Us\" or similar, and then offer investors related services, without offering complete information to investors concerning their business development and all associated risks.

Clayton also said that the SEC would be ensuring that lawyers were offering the correct legal advice when it came to ICO organisations. He said that he would be ensuring that any lawyer advising on ICOs is giving advice that sufficiently reflects US securities law.