Crypto foyer group DeFi Training Fund has referred to as on the US Senate Banking Committee to rethink the way it plans to manage the decentralized finance trade after reviewing its lately revealed dialogue draft on a key crypto market-structure invoice.
The response, signed on behalf of DeFi Training Fund (DEF) members together with a16z Crypto, Uniswap Labs, and Paradigm, stated the Responsible Financial Innovation Act of 2025 (RFA) invoice ought to be crafted in a extra tech-neutral method, that crypto builders ought to be protected against “inappropriate regulation meant for intermediaries,” and that self-custody rights for all Individuals are “important.”
Laws ought to “handle illicit finance however not unfairly burden DeFi innovation,” it added within the Friday letter addressed to Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott and Senators Cynthia Lummis, Invoice Hagerty, and Katie Britt.
Senate Banking Committee welcomed the suggestions
The banking committee requested suggestions on the dialogue draft to assist guarantee it builds on the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025 to advertise innovation within the $141 billion DeFi trade with out compromising consumer protections or monetary stability.
Defending crypto devs a prime precedence
The DEF additionally requested lawmakers to replace FinCEN steerage in mild of Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm.
“The rulemaking ought to mirror that expertise that solely consists of non-custodial, non-controlling software program shall not be regulated as a monetary establishment or monetary middleman.”
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The crypto foyer group additionally referred to as for federal preemption of state legal guidelines to make sure constant protections for crypto builders nationwide.
“Effectively-resourced conventional monetary establishments could exploit the fragmented regulatory panorama by funding or encouraging state-level enforcement actions towards DeFi builders — to not defend shoppers, however to stifle competitors,” the DEF stated in arguing that federal legislation ought to preempt conflicting state rules.
A16z Crypto made its personal submission
A16z Crypto, the crypto arm of tech-focused enterprise capital agency a16z, additionally submitted a separate response to the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday.
A16z’s main criticism of the draft crypto invoice is that it dangers undermining investor protections by creating harmful loopholes — particularly by its therapy of “ancillary property.”
The agency argues that redefining these property with out main adjustments is incompatible with current US securities legislation, notably the Howey test. It warns that the proposal might permit insiders to use exemptions and dump tokens on the general public with out regulatory oversight.
A16z as a substitute advocates for a “digital commodity” mannequin with clear decentralization necessities.
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