Gushiken Yona
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin voiced concerns over the current state of cryptocurrency regulation, particularly in the United States, calling for increased transparency and best practices while criticizing what he termed “anarcho-tyranny” among regulators.
In a recent post on the decentralized social media platform Warpcast, Buterin highlighted a regulatory paradox where projects offering vague promises and unclear returns face less scrutiny than those providing clear explanations and customer rights. He argued that this situation incentivizes the creation of “useless” products and services, hindering genuine innovation in the crypto space.
Buterin contended that this “anarcho-tyranny” – a combination of regulatory ambiguity and heavy-handed enforcement – creates a worse environment than either complete regulatory absence or strict control. He advocated for a shift where projects are incentivized to provide clear, long-term narratives about their tokens’ economic value and adhere to best practices to avoid regulatory risks.
“The main challenge with crypto regulation (especially in the U.S.) has always been this phenomenon where if you do something useless, or something where you’re asking people to give you money in exchange for vague references to potential returns at best, you are free and clear, but if you try to give your customers a clear story of where returns come from, and promises about what rights they have, then you’re screwed because you’re “a security”. The incentive gradient that this ‘anarcho-tyranny’ creates ends up worse for the space than either plain anarchy _or_ plain tyranny,” Buterin said.
The Ethereum co-founder’s comments came amid heightened regulatory scrutiny in the U.S. crypto industry. Last Friday, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a lawsuit against Consensys, a prominent blockchain software technology company founded by Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin. The lawsuit alleges that Consensys’ staking-as-a-service program violated securities laws.
The SEC also alleged that Consensys failed to register the offer and sale of certain securities through its crypto staking programs, which allow users to lock up tokens for a certain period of time in exchange for yield, the SEC said. The regulator said in its complaint, which was filed in the U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, New York, that Consensys had collected more than $250 million in fees through “its conduct as an unregistered broker.
Buterin’s critique resonated with many in the crypto community who have expressed frustration with the SEC’s “regulation by enforcement” approach. Critics argue that this approach stifles innovation and creates uncertainty for businesses operating in the space.
Buterin stressed the importance of good-faith engagement from both sides to achieve a more balanced and effective regulatory framework. He called on regulators to foster an environment that encourages legitimate projects while discouraging frivolous ones. At the same time, he urged industry players to adopt best practices and provide transparent disclosures to build trust and legitimacy within the crypto space.
