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A16z Crypto and advocacy group call for NFT, DeFi app safe harbor at SEC

2025-08-13 20:27:37

Main Idea

Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and the DeFi Education Fund have requested the SEC to establish a safe harbor program for NFT and DeFi applications to exempt them from broker-dealer registration requirements.

Key Points

1. a16z and the DeFi Education Fund sent a letter to SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce advocating for a safe harbor for DeFi and NFT applications.

2. The letter references a previous call by the US President’s Working Group on Digital Assets to provide regulatory relief for DeFi service providers.

3. A safe harbor would offer regulatory clarity while allowing the SEC to oversee high-risk activities.

4. The SEC previously introduced Special Purpose Broker-Dealers (SPBD) for digital asset securities but clarified it is not mandatory for all broker-dealers.

5. The CLARITY Act, passed by the House, could influence how the SEC and CFTC regulate digital assets.

Description

The two entities requested that the financial regulator provide a "safe harbor" for certain applications under the SEC's broker-dealer registration requirements.

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