The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) held a public roundtable conference on June 9, 2025, focusing on Decentralized Finance (DEFI). The event, entitled “Defi and the American Spirit,” will be held at SEC headquarters in Washington, DC and will be streamed live online.
The Roundtable continues the agency’s Crypto Clarity series for the Spring Sprint. The event will be held from 1pm to 5pm and is open to both face-to-face and virtual participants.
High-ranking officials and experts take part in the discussion
SEC Chair Paul S. Atkins will be present along with Commissioners Caroline A. Crenshaw, Mark T. Weda and Hester M. Perth. The former commissioner of Troy Paredes will serve as moderators for panel discussions.
The list of speakers includes:
- Jill Gunter, co-founder of Espresso Systems
- Omid Malekan, adjunct professor at Columbia Business School.
- Michael Mosier, co-founder of Arktouros PLLC
- Rebecca Rettig, Chief Legal Officer of Jito Labs
- Gabe Shapiro, legal counsel for Metalex
- Peter Van Balkenberg, Research Director at Coin Center
- Erik Voorhees, CEO of Venice AI
- Kevin Wurbach, Professor at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School
- Michael Jordan, co-founder of investment company DBA
The agenda focuses on regulation and innovation
The event explores how Defi Technologies relate to American values, including freedom, openness, and innovation. Panelists will look at how decentralized systems work without a central intermediary and how existing regulatory frameworks apply.
It also discusses the operation of peer-to-peer smart contracts, the challenges faced by regulators when implementing securities laws in a decentralized environment, and the legal risks associated with governance tokens and protocol control.
Another important topic is how investor protection law interacts with the design of Defi systems. According to the SEC, the Round Table is intended to gather input from industry experts and the public rather than introducing new rules.
Town Hall Sessions invite public questions
After the panel discussion, the SEC will hold a town hall session where audiences can ask questions. Online viewers can also send questions via email during live events. This public input segment is designed to provide SEC insight into how developers, legal experts, and users view the role of regulations in distributed systems.
This event is the fifth in a series of SEC roundtables targeting various aspects of the crypto industry. Previous events covered the risks of token listings, management services, decentralized exchanges, and stubcoin.
The June 9 debate comes amid pressure on regulators to clarify how US law applies to code. Lawmakers have introduced several bipartisan bills, including the FIT21 Act and the bipartisan Lummis-Gillibrand framework.
Related: Secux and XDC networks unite to provide secure and scalable access to the XDC ecosystem
Some Defi advocates have called for minimal regulation, arguing that open source protocols work without intermediaries and do not meet the current definition of “security issuers.” Critics, meanwhile, have argued that the Defi system often involves centralized parties beneath the surface.
The presence of figures like Erik Voorhees and Peter Van Valkenburgh demonstrates the possibility of a debate between strict legal interpretations and unauthorized innovation.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for information and educational purposes only. This article does not constitute any kind of financial advice or advice. Coin Edition is not liable for any losses that arise as a result of your use of the content, products or services mentioned. We encourage readers to take caution before taking any actions related to the company.
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