a16z and DeFi Group Advocate for Regulatory Safe Harbor in Landmark SEC Petition

Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) has joined forces with the DeFi Education Fund to petition the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a regulatory SAFE harbor protecting decentralized finance applications. The proposal argues that DeFi platforms not posing traditional broker-dealer risks should be exempt from registration requirements under the Exchange Act.

The move comes amid growing institutional support for DeFi, including favorable signals from the White House and SEC Chairman Paul Atkins. A recent Trump administration crypto report explicitly recommended relief for certain DeFi service providers from broker-dealer rules, creating momentum for regulatory clarity.

This marks a16z's latest strategic push to shape crypto regulation, following previous proposals for network token exemptions and NFT-specific frameworks. The venture firm's substantial investments in DeFi projects lend weight to its advocacy efforts as the industry seeks to balance innovation with compliance.