GENIUS Act Is Just the Start, Crypto Experts Say After Crypto Week

The proclaimed Crypto Week has concluded with significant regulatory progress, including the passage of the much-anticipated GENIUS Act. However, industry experts claim the regulatory clarity is just the foundation for what lies ahead.

“Clarity is just a starting point, not an endpoint,” Leo Fan, co-founder of Cysic, told Cointelegraph. He pointed to the need for scalable blockchains, instant verification systems, and trusted custody for further integration.

Fan acknowledged that Crypto Week delivered “legal clarity,” with the GENIUS Act formally recognizing that not all crypto assets are securities. He called this a “foundational shift” that provides a “green light for developers, investors, and institutions to build and deploy with clearer legal guardrails.”

Fan said crypto is finally being recognized as foundational infrastructure, paving the way for real-world integration in finance, identity and privacy systems. “With the legal groundwork forming, the path is clearer for real-world integration,” he said.

Related: GENIUS’ ban on stablecoin yield will drive demand for Ethereum DeFi — Analysts

GENIUS passage means DeFi is ‘here to stay’

Altan Tutar, co-founder and CEO of MoreMarkets, described the GENIUS Act as “the best sign yet that DeFi is here to stay,” noting the US is closing the gap with Asia in crypto adoption.

Tutar said the legislation would drive stablecoin adoption “in a meaningful way,” enabling traditional assets like gold or oil to be tokenized and bringing DeFi into new territories.

However, he cautioned that regulatory clarity benefits institutions more than everyday investors and stressed the importance of building payment systems, apps, and earning opportunities for retail investors to avoid crypto’s own version of a “dot-com bubble.”

Likewise, Ryan Chow, CEO of Solv Protocol, said Crypto Week “laid the legal foundation for digital assets for legal clarity and structural legitimacy,” ending years of regulatory uncertainty that stalled institutional adoption.

He called the GENIUS Act’s distinction between decentralized digital assets and traditional securities “monumental,” giving builders and investors confidence to innovate.

Looking ahead, he said, “clarity is necessary, but credibility is what builds markets,” urging the development of “Bitcoin-backed credit, tokenized treasuries, and yield tied to real assets” with transparent risk pricing and compliance built in from the start.

Related: GENIUS Act blocks Big Tech, banks from dominating stablecoins: Circle exec

Regulation alone isn’t enough

Will K, CEO of VOOI and co-founder of Symbiosis.Finance, also highlighted that regulation alone isn’t enough. He pointed out the need for mature infrastructure, simplified user experiences, and AI-driven tools that level the playing field.

Without these, crypto risks remaining a niche ecosystem rather than a global financial standard, Will warned. “The industry needs to stop building for crypto natives and start building for everyone else.”