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2018 Regulation Roundtable

This report captures the insights from a 2018 roundtable discussion among policy experts, legal professionals, and industry pioneers regarding the evolving regu

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Abstract

This report captures the insights from a 2018 roundtable discussion among policy experts, legal professionals, and industry pioneers regarding the evolving regulatory landscape for blockchain. It addresses the critical tension between fostering innovation and ensuring investor protection, particularly during the ICO (Initial Coin Offering) boom. The document explores themes like the classification of digital assets as securities, commodities, or utilities, and the challenge of applying existing legal frameworks to borderless decentralized networks. It provides an authoritative overview of the regulatory climate in various jurisdictions and the importance of establishing global standards for KYC (Know Your Customer) and AML (Anti-Money Laundering) procedures in crypto-assets. The findings reflect the consensus at the time that while regulation is necessary for market maturity and institutional entry, it must be carefully crafted to avoid stifling the nascent technology and driving industry players into jurisdictions with more favorable, yet potentially less secure, legal environments. Publication: Blockchain Research Institute

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Key findings

  • Regulatory clarity is a prerequisite for mainstream institutional adoption.
  • KYC/AML compliance remains a core challenge for decentralized projects.
  • Global harmonization of crypto-regulations is difficult but necessary.
  • Legal classification of tokens is a primary barrier to market growth.

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Citation

(n.d.). 2018 Regulation Roundtable. Blockchain Research Institute. https://www.blockchainresearchinstitute.org/project/2018-regulation-roundtable/
Canonical knowledge ID: research:2018-regulation-roundtable