Citadel Calls for DeFi Regulation on Tokenized Equities

Citadel Calls for DeFi Regulation on Tokenized Equities

Citadel Securities has submitted a comment letter to the U.S. SEC, urging the application of exchange and broker-dealer rules to DeFi platforms trading tokenized U.S. equities.

The move has sparked criticism from DeFi advocates who view it as an effort to restrict market innovation, affecting the regulatory landscape for decentralized finance platforms.

Citadel Pushes SEC for DeFi Broker-Dealer Rules

Citadel Securities LLC has urged the U.S. SEC to apply broker-dealer rules to DeFi platforms trading tokenized U.S. equities. This stance is part of a 13-page letter critiquing current DeFi operations under existing legal frameworks.

Citadelโ€™s filing argues DeFi protocols trading tokenized stocks function as exchanges. The submission insists on equivalent regulation with centralized venues, aiming at investor protection and compliance with current securities laws.

DeFi Advocates Criticize Citadelโ€™s Regulatory Proposal

Industry advocates denounce Citadelโ€™s filing, viewing it as an attempt to stifle DeFi. Critics argue that DeFi practices, including the use of smart contracts, operate without intermediaries, contrary to traditional brokerage frameworks.

Financial outcomes may include uncertainty in tokenization projects if the SEC incorporates Citadelโ€™s views. Historically, strict regulation has posed challenges for innovation, affecting market structures and liquidity in the blockchain ecosystem.

SECโ€™s Past Influence on Crypto Markets Analyzed

Regulatory dynamics in digital assets draw parallels to past SEC interventions in cryptocurrency exchanges. Previous enforcement has often focused on compliance with established exchange and broker-dealer rules.

Kanalcoin experts warn that embracing strict regulation could hinder DeFi growth, echoing traditional financial system challenges. They highlight potential innovation roadblocks if DeFi is subjected to identical frameworks as conventional securities exchanges.

โ€œThe idea that smart contracts should be regulated as traditional exchanges misunderstands the essence of DeFi.โ€ โ€“ Vitalik Buterin, Co-founder, Ethereum
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