Can Cryptocurrency Values Endure the Impending Regulatory Surge?

The crypto space is often characterized as being part technology and part ideology, which makes it unsurprising that the ongoing regulatory overhaul has sparked intense introspection about the state of crypto's core values and excitement about potential new applications. Ahead of the People's Regulatory Roundtable at Consensus 2025, moderated by Ivo Entchev and featuring Kayvan Sadeghi, Connor Spelliscy, Lewis Cohen, Michelle Ann Gitlitz, and David Adlerstein, these crypto veterans and advocates for sensible regulation discussed safeguarding crypto values in regulatory reform and the innovations emerging from new regulations. When asked about the core crypto values most important to them and how to ensure these values are respected by regulatory reform, the panelists provided diverse perspectives. Kayvan emphasized individual freedom and sovereignty, achievable through privacy and decentralization, suggesting that reframing the conversation to focus on how new technology can better achieve existing laws' objectives is crucial. Connor highlighted the importance of blockchain technology in providing transparency, reliability, and security, and the need for policy frameworks that incentivize decentralization. Lewis focused on the values of the crypto community, including personal sovereignty and decentralization, emphasizing the importance of serving the needs of this diverse community of users and builders dedicated to innovation. Michelle prioritized decentralization as it enables true digital ownership and freedom to transact, stressing the need for legislators and regulators to understand blockchain-based systems to craft protective rules. David, an ardent believer in free markets, emphasized concepts like recognized rights in alienable property and freedom of contract as quintessential crypto values, suggesting that regulators can preserve openness to new business models while reasonably tailoring safeguards. On whether regulation is opening the door to new and valuable business models or products, the panelists expressed optimism about the potential for sensible regulation to empower individuals, facilitate innovation, and enable wider adoption of crypto products with greater confidence. They discussed the potential for new business models, such as decentralized AI, digital identity, and social media, to emerge with clearer regulatory parameters. The importance of regulatory clarity for novel organizational structures like DAOs was also highlighted, along with the role of RegTech solutions in streamlining compliance and reducing costs for crypto companies. Ultimately, the panelists see a future where thoughtful regulation enables the proliferation of innovative crypto products, providing a competitive edge over traditional financial institutions by leveraging blockchain technology for transparent record-keeping, automated compliance checks, and immutable audit trails.