According to a report by Cornerstone on Wednesday, investors in the US have filed six class-action lawsuits tied to crypto so far in 2025. That number nearly matches the seven brought all of last year. Meanwhile, AI-related suits are closing in on last year’s total too.
Surge In Crypto Lawsuits
In the first half of 2025, six crypto-related filings went to court. That is a big jump from seven for all of 2024. Half of those new suits target token issuers. One is against a mining company. Two more name outfits that sell rigs or have crypto partnerships.
The law firm Burwick Law filed three of the six cases. Its founder, Max Burwick, says private suits give investors a clear way to hold firms to account. Pomerantz LLP and Glancy Prongay & Murray led the rest of the filings.
AI Cases On The Rise
Based on a report, 12 AI-related lawsuits hit US courts in the same period. Last year saw 15 in total. Stanford law professor Joseph Grundfest points to “AI-washing” as the main culprit.
That’s when companies overstate their AI skills to grab investor cash. Investors strike back with civil claims once the truth comes out and share prices slide.
Total filings in H1 2025 for all securities cases stood at 114. That figure is almost flat compared to 115 in H2 2024. It shows that lawsuits driven by hot themes are rising fast, while overall litigation stays steady.
Regulatory Pullback Drives Private Action
Investors did not wait for regulators to move. Even after US agencies like the Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission eased up on crypto under US President Donald Trump, suits kept coming.
That pattern suggests civil actions are now part of the playbook for those who feel burned by sudden losses.
Looking at the data, last year’s seven crypto suits are on course to be beaten by 2025’s total. And AI filings look set to match or exceed the 15 logged in 2024.
Both areas have a small group of law firms leading the charge. Burwick Law stands out for crypto. On the AI side, a variety of firms are jumping in.
What Companies Should Watch
Companies working with crypto or AI must be precise in how they talk about their tech. Overblown claims or careless wording on blockchain ties or machine-learning breakthroughs could invite civil suits.
Clear, honest disclosures are the best defense. Legal experts warn that private lawsuits can pick up where regulators leave off.
Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView
