Citadel’s DeFi Crackdown Push Sparks Crypto Industry Backlash
Wall Street trading giant Citadel Securities faces mounting opposition from crypto heavyweights after urging the SEC to regulate decentralized finance platforms under traditional securities laws. The firm's 13-page submission argues tokenized stock trading on DeFi protocols should comply with existing exchange and broker-dealer rules.
A coalition including Andreessen Horowitz and the DeFi Education Fund fired back, calling Citadel's position "baseless" and "misleading." Their counterargument hinges on a technical distinction: autonomous smart contracts cannot function as intermediaries like traditional financial entities.
The clash exposes a fundamental rift in financial regulation philosophy. Citadel warns of "two regulatory systems for the same assets" if DeFi remains exempt, while crypto advocates maintain decentralized networks require novel frameworks. SEC Chair Paul Atkins' recent comments about tokenization adoption within two years add urgency to the debate.