## SEC to Host Roundtable on Crypto Regulation
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is set to hold a roundtable discussion on April 11, inviting leaders from the crypto industry, particularly those who faced challenges under the previous administration. The event, titled “Between a Block and a Hard Place: Tailoring Regulation for Crypto Trading,” will emphasize future-oriented regulatory approaches and is the second installment in a five-part series. Notable industry figures invited include Katherine Minarik, Chief Legal Officer at Uniswap Labs, and Gregory Tushar, Vice President of Institutional Products at Coinbase.
Mark Uyeda, the head of the SEC, aims to enhance regulatory oversight of the crypto sector by focusing on the nuances of digital assets rather than categorizing them all uniformly. Under Gary Gensler, the former SEC chair, nearly all cryptocurrencies were classified as securities, with little differentiation made. The upcoming event will be live-streamed on the SEC website starting at 1 p.m. ET on April 11, featuring opening remarks from SEC officials followed by a mediated discussion with industry leaders.
The SEC, under the Biden administration, has previously targeted several companies participating in this roundtable, including Coinbase, DRW, and Uniswap. Both DRW and Coinbase faced lawsuits from the SEC in 2023, but these were dismissed under the new Trump administration. On April 5, Uyeda announced he was reviewing seven staff statements, five of which pertain to crypto, in light of Trump’s deregulation executive order and recommendations from Elon Musk’s DOGE department. This announcement aligns with the SEC’s intention to revise its crypto policies, particularly by retracting staff statements that hinder innovation within the American crypto landscape.
Following the roundtable, participants will have the opportunity to email their suggestions to the SEC, allowing a task force to develop a fair regulatory strategy for the sector. “Listening to the public’s concerns,” stated Hester Peirce, head of the SEC Crypto Task Force, “and their suggestions will help the SEC create a clear, sensible, and fair path forward for the crypto industry. I am eager for this roundtable as we strive for greater clarity in crypto for the benefit of the American public.”
The SEC has initiated a five-part series of roundtables focused on the crypto sector. The first event, held on March 21, was titled ‘Spring Sprint Toward Crypto Clarity.’ Following this gathering, the SEC reclassified stablecoins as non-securities, differentiating them from traditional securities like common stocks. The current administration has shown unprecedented support for the crypto industry, with President Trump even issuing an Executive Order to establish a Bitcoin Strategic Reserve. As a result of the SEC’s roundtable discussions, stablecoins are now regarded as non-securities, meaning transactions involving these coins do not require reporting. This regulatory easing comes at a time when the economy is grappling with various challenges stemming from supply chain disruptions.
