SEC Crypto Task Force to discuss DeFi, tokenization at newly scheduled roundtables

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's Crypto Task Force announced on Tuesday that it will host four more roundtables on crypto asset regulation.

The crypto roundtables are scheduled from April to June, with topics including tokenization and decentralized finance.

“The Crypto Task Force roundtables are an opportunity for us to hear a lively discussion among experts about what the regulatory issues are and what the Commission can do to solve them,” Commissioner Hester Peirce, who leads the task force, said in Tuesday's statement .

The upcoming roundtable discussions are expected to promote the SEC's efforts to bring more clarity to crypto regulation for industry participants, a switch from the "regulation by enforcement" approach taken by former Chair Gary Gensler .

Last week, the task force held its inaugural roundtable at the SEC headquarters in Washington, with crypto industry experts and securities lawyers present as panelists.

Miles Jennings, a16z crypto's general counsel, said at the roundtable that the SEC's previous approach to crypto did not work. "It did not lead to investor protection, it did not lead to capital formation and it did not lead to efficient markets," Jennings said.

Commissioner Peirce said at the meeting that the SEC has a new beginning and a "restart of the Commission's approach to crypto regulation."

The next roundtable, focusing on "tailoring regulation for crypto trading," is expected to take place on April 11. Roundtable discussions on crypto custody (April 25), tokenization (May 12) and decentralized finance (June 6) are also scheduled to take place and livestreamed in Washington D.C.

Meanwhile, Paul Atkins , Trump's pick to be the new SEC chair, is having his Senate hearing on Thursday regarding his nomination. Atkins, who was an SEC commissioner from 2002 to 2008, is also a supporter of crypto.