U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced the agenda and panelists for its fourth Crypto Task Force roundtable, titled “Tokenization — Moving Assets Onchain: Where TradFi and DeFi Meet,” scheduled for May 12, 2025, at its headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The event, part of the SEC’s “Spring Sprint Toward Crypto Clarity” series, will feature prominent financial institutions and crypto industry players, including BlackRock, Fidelity, and Robinhood, among others. The roundtable aims to explore the regulatory implications of tokenization, a process that could transform financial markets by moving real-world assets onto blockchain-based systems.
Key Details
Date and Time: May 12, 2025, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET. Location: SEC Headquarters, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. The meeting is open to the public and webcast live on www.sec.gov; no registration is required for online viewing. Keynote Speaker: SEC Chair Paul Atkins will deliver the keynote address.
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The roundtable will include two main panels, featuring executives from traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi) sectors. From BlackRock Robert Mitchnick, From Fidelity: Cynthia Lo Bessette. From Robinhood: Representative not named in the agenda. Other Notable Participants, Eun Ah Choi (Nasdaq), Will Geyer (Invesco), Sandy Kaul (Franklin Templeton), Christine Moy (Apollo Management), Christian Sabella (DTCC), Johnny Reinsch (Tokenized Asset Coalition), Alex Zozos (SuperState), Representatives from Securitize, Maple Finance, Blockchain Capital, and Chia Network.
The meeting focuses on how traditional capital markets are integrating blockchain technology. Likely to discuss tokenized securities trading, custody requirements, and market infrastructure changes, with insights from BlackRock, Fidelity, and Nasdaq.
Topics includes; The Future of Tokenization which explores long-term technological and regulatory developments, with a focus on real-world assets (RWAs). It also feature Robinhood, Securitize, and others advocating for RWA tokenization. Commissioner Hester M. Peirce, who leads the Crypto Task Force, emphasized that tokenization could “substantially change many aspects of our financial markets” by enhancing efficiency and access to assets like real estate or private equity.
The market for tokenized real-world assets is currently valued at $18.85 billion. The SEC is seeking input to develop a balanced regulatory framework for digital assets. Discussions will address compliance challenges, market structure issues (e.g., trading venues and settlement systems), and investor protections. The announcement of the roundtable has already influenced crypto markets, with Bitcoin prices rising 2.3% and AI-related tokens like Fetch.ai gaining 4.2% on May 5, 2025, reflecting optimism about regulatory clarity.
The participation of major firms like BlackRock and Fidelity signals growing institutional adoption of blockchain technology, potentially driving capital inflows into crypto assets and related ETFs. BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust saw an 8.2 million share trading volume on May 5, 2025, up 10% from the prior day.
The Crypto Task Force, launched on January 21, 2025, under Ex Acting Chairman Mark T. Uyeda, aims to provide clear regulatory guidelines, realistic registration paths, and sensible disclosure frameworks. Previous roundtables covered security status (March 21), crypto trading (April 11), and custody issues (April 25). The series reflects a shift from enforcement-driven policies under the Biden administration to a more collaborative approach.
The next roundtable, “DeFi and the American Spirit,” originally set for June 6, has been rescheduled to June 9, 2025. Crypto enthusiasts expressed excitement about the participation of “big dogs” like BlackRock, Fidelity, and Robinhood, with some optimistic about bullish market implications. However, skepticism persists, with some calling the SEC’s frequent meetings a “nothing burger” with “zero results.” Traders are advised to monitor Bitcoin’s support level and Ethereum’s support, as well as ETF volume changes, for signals post-roundtable.
The SEC’s May 12 roundtable underscores the growing convergence of TradFi and DeFi, with BlackRock, Fidelity, and Robinhood playing key roles in shaping the regulatory landscape for tokenization. Outcomes from this event could influence market volatility, institutional adoption, and future SEC rulemaking, making it a critical moment for the crypto industry.