Congressman Warren Davidson (R-OH) introduced the Evaluating Defi Opportunities Act on Tuesday. The bill calls for a joint study by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and the Secretary of the Treasury on decentralized finance (defi).
Davidson emphasized that defi plays a vital role in the future of capital markets, but expressed concerns over the Biden-Harris administration’s approach to regulating the space. He described:
This legislation guarantees that data-driven financial regulations could be implemented by the federal government without interfering with the development of digital markets or jeopardizing the user privacy that defi provides.
With a growing number of users, defi’s total market capitalization has surged to an estimated $75 billion, the lawmaker noted. However, Davidson warned that overregulation risks stifling innovation and driving investment abroad.
The proposed study is intended to help regulators understand defi’s benefits, such as blockchain’s operational resilience, market competition, and the protection of user privacy. Davidson emphasized the need for regulators to “take a carefully measured approach,” ensuring defi can thrive without jeopardizing user privacy or innovation.
The lawmaker opined:
Decentralized finance is essential to the future of capital markets. Sadly, the Biden-Harris administration is trying to regulate defi out of existence without understanding the risks or benefits.