<h1>DeFi AI token marketing may trigger securities law scrutiny under Section 5 and the Howey investment-contract test</h1> A decentralized AI platform claims its predictive algorithms and decentralized infrastructure could produce outsized returns and cites presale token sales, strategic partnerships, and comparisons to established cryptocurrencies to bolster investor interest. From a legal perspective, these statements may raise securities-law scrutiny over whether the token constitutes an investment contract, risks of misleading or unverified performance claims in marketing, and obligations to disclose material risks and use of proceeds to buyers. Regulatory, fraud, and consumer-protection risks exist for promoters and intermediaries, and investors face market, technological, and liquidity risks despite claimed partnerships and presale uptake.