June 10, 2025 - According to a disclosure by the DeFi Education Fund, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) crypto working group held a roundtable today themed "DeFi and the American Spirit," attracting participation from regulators, academia, and the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector.
At the beginning of the meeting, SEC Chairman Mark Atkins pointed out that the core concept of DeFi closely aligns with traditional American values. He stated, "Economic freedom, private property rights, and technological innovation are at the heart of the American spirit, and these are the foundational genes of the DeFi movement."
Atkins also emphasized that regulators should avoid inadvertently harming technology-neutral innovators when formulating policies. He made it clear, "Developers of neutral tools should not be held accountable for actions taken by third parties using their technology." This statement has been interpreted by industry insiders as strong support for open-source protocol developers and smart contract developers.
This roundtable is one of the rare constructive dialogues between the SEC and the crypto industry, demonstrating the regulator's attempt to balance the delicate relationship between compliance and innovation. The discussions also covered topics such as compliance pathways, transparency standards, and the allocation of responsibilities for smart contracts.
There is a general belief that Chairman Atkins' remarks convey a more inclusive and understanding regulatory signal, possibly opening new dialogue space for future DeFi compliance pathways.