Tokenization Smackdown: SEC Hosts TradFi vs. DeFi Cage Match on Financial Innovation

Wall Street meets crypto anarchists—regulators finally force them into the same room. The SEC’s upcoming roundtable isn’t just another talk shop; it’s a last-ditch effort to prevent these factions from building parallel financial universes.

Why this matters now: Tokenization’s explosive growth (even your grandma’s treasury bonds are getting digitized) forces regulators to pick sides. Will they strangle innovation with ’investor protection’ dogma, or acknowledge that blockchain rails move value faster than legacy systems ever could?

The cynical take: Watch bankers suddenly love ’decentralization’—but only if they control the private keys. Meanwhile, crypto natives will preach disruption while quietly begging for clearer rules. Place your bets on who blinks first.

• SEC’s May 12 roundtable will explore how tokenization impacts traditional finance.
• Top Nasdaq, Fidelity and BlackRock industry experts will join the SEC’s tokenization talk.
• Tokenization could revolutionize capital markets, according to SEC Commissioner Peirce.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) plans to host a roundtable about tokenization on May 12, which will bridge traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi). The SEC Crypto Task Force uses the “Tokenization—Moving Assets Onchain: Where TradFi and DeFi Meet” event to advance its broader effort to handle regulatory challenges regarding digital assets.

Commissioner Hester M. Peirce, who leads the task force, said tokenization could “substantially change many aspects of our financial markets.” The roundtable will occur at the SEC’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., from 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and will be streamed live through the SEC’s official website. In-person attendees must register, while online viewers can join without signing up.

Chairman Paul Atkins will be giving the keynote address at the May 12 Crypto Task Force roundtable, “Tokenization: Moving Assets Onchain: Where TradFi and DeFi Meet.”

See details: https://t.co/fQSkykgKZq

The session is the second in a series of roundtables introduced earlier this year as the SEC ramps up its engagement with the crypto sector.

Agenda Highlights Key Players from Finance and Crypto Industries

The event will begin with welcome remarks from Commissioner Peirce and fellow commissioners Paul S. Atkins, Caroline A. Crenshaw, and Mark T. Uyeda. Richard B. Gabbert, the Crypto Task Force’s Chief of Staff, will provide opening statements.

The agenda features two main sessions. The first, “Capital Markets 2.0,” starts at 2:00 p.m. and includes Fidelity, BlackRock, Nasdaq, Invesco, Franklin Templeton, Apollo Management, and DTCC panelists. The discussion will focus on how tokenized assets reshape capital markets and the infrastructure required for asset tokenization.

The second session, “The Future of Tokenization,” will be held at 4:00 p.m. and will explore tokenized finance’s legal, technological, and regulatory aspects. Moderated by Tiffany Smith of WilmerHale, the panel will include representatives from Robinhood, Chia Network, Maple Finance, Blockchain Capital, Securitize, and legal academics.

This diverse lineup aims to provide the SEC with a well-rounded view of how on-chain asset systems can align with existing financial regulations.

SEC Adjusts DeFi Roundtable Schedule Amid Ongoing Crypto Policy Review

In addition to the tokenization event, the SEC announced a schedule change for its DeFi-focused roundtable titled “DeFi and the American Spirit.” Initially set for June 6, the event will now occur on June 9. Registrants have been notified, and their participation has been transferred to the new date.

Multiple roundtable events have occurred following the growth of dialogue between the SEC and digital asset companies. Earlier this year, the task force met with ONDO Finance, a tokenization platform, to develop approaches for a blockchain-based securities framework.

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