Crypto Giants Clash With Citadel Over SEC’s Proposed DeFi Rules
A coalition of crypto heavyweights including the DeFi Education Fund, Andreessen Horowitz, and the Uniswap Foundation has fired back at Citadel Securities' push for stricter SEC oversight of decentralized finance. The group argues Citadel's interpretation misrepresents DeFi's non-custodial nature, where users retain asset control without traditional intermediaries.
The dispute centers on Citadel's petition to classify DeFi protocols as securities intermediaries—a move crypto advocates warn would force square pegs into round holes. 'Software isn't a broker,' the letter asserts, highlighting how blockchain transactions occur peer-to-peer rather than through centralized entities.
This showdown reflects growing tensions as TradFi giants grapple with DeFi's disruptive potential. While Citadel cites investor protection concerns, crypto leaders counter that inappropriate regulations could stifle innovation in America's $500B digital asset sector.