SEC Crypto Task Force Schedules New Crypto Roundtables

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Crypto Task Force will be convening a series of four additional public roundtables to discuss key areas of cryptocurrency regulations, according to a recent announcement from the agency.

The roundtables provide a platform for the SEC to hear directly from industry experts, academics, and other stakeholders.

A New Era For Crypto

The incoming discussions, scheduled from April through June, will cover crypto trading and custody, tokenization, the intersection of traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi), and the role of DeFi in America.

The roundtables will be open to the public for both in-person attendance at SEC headquarters in Washington, D.C., and virtual attendance via live webcast.

The securities regulator is also seeking input from experts on regulatory issues surrounding crypto assets and potential solutions.

Join us on March 27 for a roundtable discussion on artificial intelligence in the financial industry. Topics include the risks, benefits, and governance of AI.

More details: https://t.co/ekX2RWp2KQ pic.twitter.com/7fH3j1tlwj

— U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (@SECGov) March 25, 2025

The scheduled meetings follow the SEC’s crypto task force roundtable in Washington on March 21, its inaugural roundtable. These events are part of the SEC’s “Spring Sprint Toward Crypto Clarity” initiative dedicated to refining crypto regulations, supporting innovation, and ensuring investor protection.

The first event, hosted by Acting Chairman Mark Uyeda and Commissioner Hester Peirce, brought a number of industry leaders like a16z’s General Counsel Miles Jennings and Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire.

Key discussion surrounded the need for a revamped regulatory approach to crypto. The panel also debated the classification of assets as securities, with insights from multiple legal experts.

At the inaugural SEC crypto roundtable, a16z’s Jennings criticized the previous ‘regulation by enforcement’ approach as failing to meet any of the SEC’s objectives, including investor protection and efficient markets.

John Reed Stark, former director of the SEC’s Office of Internet Enforcement, argued against regulatory reform to accommodate digital assets. According to him, the current regulatory framework adequately protects investors.

Stark also denied any major innovation in crypto, likening them unfavorably to groundbreaking advancements like the iPhone, and criticized the crypto industry’s tactics of legal delay against SEC actions.

Despite not providing instant regulatory clarity, the first SEC crypto roundtable was a crucial move, and this meeting, alongside those planned, indicates the SEC is adopting a more collaborative stance on rulemaking.

Compared to the previously ambiguous regulatory environment, these roundtables mean that the regulator is actively working to establish clearer rules and guidelines.

Prevailing Topics

The upcoming SEC meetings will address the prevailing topics in the industry. Following President Trump’s reelection, there is renewed interest among Wall Street giants in offering crypto services. Citi and State Street reportedly plan to launch crypto custody services.

The growing interest is also due to the SEC’s supportive stance. The SEC’s controversial Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 121 (SAB 121) was officially rescinded in January. The SEC replaced it with SAB 122.

SAB 121, introduced in March 2022, required financial institutions to classify crypto assets held on behalf of customers as liabilities on their balance sheets. This rule faced intense backlash from the crypto community and financial institutions for being overly burdensome and limiting banks’ ability to provide crypto custody services at scale.

The repeal removes these restrictions, encouraging banks and custodians to enter the crypto market and simplifying custody operations.

Elsewhere, legislative efforts are also underway to overturn the IRS rule that would have imposed new tax reporting requirements on DeFi platforms. This Biden-era rule aimed to broaden the definition of “brokers” to include DeFi operators, requiring them to report user data.

After the House of Representatives both passed a resolution to repeal the rule earlier this month, the final Senate vote is scheduled for March 27. If passed, the resolution would be sent to President Trump for signing. Given Trump’s pro-crypto stance, there is a good chance he will sign the resolution.