Oracle filed a lawsuit against Crypto Oracle LLC for trademark violations, marking the second time the company has sued for similar issues.
By Temitope Olatunji
Edited by Julia Sakovich
Updated
3 mins read
Oracle Corporation, a software development company, has again taken legal action against Crypto Oracle LLC and its founder Louis Kerner, accusing the crypto firm of violating a previous settlement and infringing upon Oracle’s trademark. The lawsuit was filed in a California federal court on November 25. However, the dispute began in 2019, when Oracle Corporation initially sued Crypto Oracle, claiming it misused its trademark to promote cryptocurrency services under the “Crypto Oracle” brand.
Although the two firms reached a confidential settlement, a court order permanently barred Crypto Oracle from using the “Crypto Oracle” name or any iteration of the Oracle trademark.
However, in the recent filing, Oracle claims Crypto Oracle is now back to using the “Crypto Oracle” name and brand despite a 2020 court injunction prohibiting it. The software company stated that the crypto startup has continued to use the contested name, kept the domain name, and even hosted events under the “Crypto Oracle Collective” banner, all of which allegedly breached the settlement agreement between the parties.
As a result, Oracle is seeking a combination of monetary damages, statutory penalties, and the removal or transfer of domains and branding associated with the Crypto Oracle name.
As of now, representatives for Crypto Oracle have not publicly responded to the allegations, and details about their legal representation remain unclear.
The legal dispute involving trademarks between Oracle Corporation and Crypto Oracle is not the first in the crypto industry, as there are many such cases. A similar case happened in 2023 when NanoLabs sued Coinbase for trademark infringement over its Nano Bitcoin and Ether futures contracts. Also, in 2022, Dfinity Foundation filed a lawsuit against Meta, accusing it of trademark infringement over its infinity logo.
Furthermore, the creator of the popular meme coin ‘Just a Chill Guy’ Phillip Banks recently announced that he will protect his popular character with copyright protection. Banks confirmed on X that the character is legally copyrighted and stated he will begin issuing takedowns for profit-driven uses. The “Chill Guy” meme, first shared in late 2023, gained significant traction as the mascot for $CHILLGUY, contributing to the token’s rapid popularity.
The frequent legal cases of trademarks in the crypto space further reveal the complexities of intellectual property law in this space, where branding often plays a critical role in gaining consumer trust and market recognition.
With the growing trademark infringement, crypto companies, especially startups, should protect their brands, logos, and creations early by registering trademarks, securing domain names, and getting copyrights to avoid future issues.
Also, startups should conduct thorough due diligence before choosing names, logos, or slogans to ensure they don’t overlap with existing trademarks. Unique and distinct branding reduces the risk of infringement claims.
Disclaimer: Coinspeaker is committed to providing unbiased and transparent reporting. This article aims to deliver accurate and timely information but should not be taken as financial or investment advice. Since market conditions can change rapidly, we encourage you to verify information on your own and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content.
Temitope is a writer with more than four years of experience writing across various niches. He has a special interest in the fintech and blockchain spaces and enjoy writing articles in those areas. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in linguistics. When not writing, he trades forex and plays video games.
