SEC to hold last roundtable on crypto DeFi
SEC to host final spring DeFi roundtable on June 9 in Washington
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will hold its fifth and final spring roundtable on June 9 at its Washington, D.C. headquarters, spotlighting how decentralized finance (DeFi) aligns with American principles such as freedom, innovation, and accountability.
Titled “DeFi and the American Spirit,” the session is part of the SEC’s broader initiative, “Spring Sprint Toward Crypto Clarity,” aimed at shaping regulations for emerging blockchain technologies. Participants can attend either in person or via livestream, reports Cryptopolitan.
SEC officials including Chair Paul Atkins and Commissioners Caroline Crenshaw, Mark Uyeda, and Hester Peirce will address the audience, alongside Richard B. Gabbert of the Crypto Task Force.
Understanding DeFi’s Structure and Risks
The roundtable will be moderated by former SEC Commissioner Troy Paredes and will examine how DeFi systems function without traditional intermediaries like banks or brokers. Panelists will explain how smart contracts enable peer-to-peer lending, trading, and borrowing, while also presenting challenges for regulation due to their autonomous nature.
Discussions will also delve into decentralized governance models, where community members make decisions collectively, raising important questions about accountability and the ability to address abuse or systemic risks.
Balancing Innovation and Investor Protection
The SEC aims to explore whether DeFi reflects core American ideals such as open access, unrestricted participation, and technological advancement. While recognizing the benefits of innovation, the Commission is also focused on establishing safeguards to ensure investor trust without stifling progress.
Previous roundtables addressed whether digital assets are securities, how exchanges should be regulated, and how to handle asset custody. This final session will play a key role in shaping future policy for decentralized technologies in the U.S. financial landscape.
Recently we wrote that in a notable regulatory development, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has advanced its review of WisdomTree’s proposed XRP spot exchange-traded fund (ETF).
