The SEC is ramping up attention to cryptocurrencies by hosting a high-level roundtable on tokenization, bringing together leaders from traditional and decentralized finance to redefine asset movement on the blockchain.
The SEC roundtable is set to ignite Capital Markets 2.0 with discussions on tokenization.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced on May 5 that it has approved the agenda and confirmed the participation of speakers for its upcoming roundtable 'Tokenization – Moving Assets on the Blockchain: Where Traditional and Decentralized Finance Meet.' The event is scheduled for May 12 at the agency's headquarters in Washington, D.C., and will explore how traditional and decentralized finance intersect through blockchain-based asset movement. Commissioner Hester M. Peirce, who leads the SEC Crypto Task Force, emphasized the importance of this discussion:
Tokenization is a technological development that could significantly change many aspects of our financial markets. I look forward to hearing ideas from our participants on how the SEC should approach this area.
The event will run from 1:00 PM to 5:30 PM and will be open for public participation both offline and online, with no registration required for virtual attendance. Opening remarks will be made by Richard B. Gabbert, the head of the Crypto Task Force staff, followed by a keynote address from Chairman Paul S. Atkins and additional comments from Commissioners Caroline A. Crenshaw, Mark T. Uyeda, and Peirce.
The first panel 'The Evolution of Finance: Capital Markets 2.0' will be moderated by Jeff Dinwoodie from Cravath and will include speakers from major financial institutions such as Fidelity, Nasdaq, Invesco, Franklin Templeton, Blackrock, Apollo Management, and DTCC. After a short break, the second panel 'The Future of Tokenization' will begin at 4:00 PM and conclude the event. Tiffany Smith from WilmerHale will moderate this discussion, featuring Hillary Allen from American University, Jean Hoffman from Chia Network, Johann Kerbrat from Robinhood, Sydney Powell from Maple Finance, and others, including independent researcher Angela Walsh. This session is expected to focus on the long-term implications, use cases, and potential regulatory responses to tokenized assets in capital markets.
In a separate announcement, the SEC also announced a change of date for its roundtable on decentralized finance (DeFi). Originally scheduled for June 6, the event 'DeFi and the American Spirit' will now take place on June 9. All previously registered participants have been notified, and their registrations remain valid, while new participants can continue to register through the SEC website.
The new SEC Crypto Task Force launched a series of policy roundtables in March, signaling a significant shift in the agency's approach to cryptocurrency oversight. The first meeting examined how crypto assets are classified under securities laws. The second focused on the nuances of cryptocurrency trading, while the third centered on regulatory issues surrounding cryptocurrency custody. These discussions mark a shift towards a more collaborative and transparent approach to cryptocurrency regulation, moving away from the previous enforcement-focused model.