April 25th SEC Crypto Roundtable: Paul Atkins to Address Broken Crypto Custody Rules

Following the success of its first session on April 11, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is set to host the second installment of its four-part SEC Crypto Roundtable series tomorrow on April 25th. 

This session will zero in on one of the most debated issues in digital asset regulation—crypto custody and the legal challenges surrounding it.

What to Expect from the Second SEC Crypto Roundtable

The roundtable will feature two high-profile panel discussions:

• Custody Through Broker-Dealers and Beyond
  Industry leaders such as Jason Allegrante (Fireblocks), Rachel Anderika (Anchorage Digital Bank), Terrence Dempsey (Fidelity Digital Assets), Mark Greenberg (Kraken), and others will explore how crypto assets are currently stored by broker-dealers and third-party custodians.
  
• Custody by Investment Advisers and Investment Companies
  Legal experts including Justin Browder (Simpson Thacher & Bartlett), Neel Maitra (Dechert), Ryan Louvar (WisdomTree), and Adam Levitin (Georgetown University) will dive into how traditional finance rules conflict with crypto custody practices.
  

The event will be opened by top SEC officials, including Chairman Paul S. Atkins, Crypto Task Force Chief Richard Gabbert, and Commissioners Hester Peirce, Caroline Crenshaw, and Mark Uyeda.

Why SEC Rules Need a Crypto Overhaul

Under current SEC guidelines, investment advisers must use qualified custodians such as banks or broker-dealers. But crypto custody doesn’t fit neatly into this mold. With digital assets operating on decentralized, 24/7 infrastructure, many firms face hurdles in complying with outdated rules.

Legal expert Neel Maitra recently highlighted custody as “the biggest issue in crypto regulation.” His co-panelist, Justin Browder, criticized the SEC’s approach for forcing advisers to choose between regulatory compliance and client service.

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What’s Next in the Roundtable Series?

The third session of the SEC Crypto Roundtable will cover tokenization and is scheduled for May 12, 2025. The fourth and final roundtable, focused on Decentralized Finance (DeFi), will take place on June 6, 2025.

As the SEC explores how to adapt legacy rules to new technologies, tomorrow’s roundtable may pave the way for much-needed regulatory reform in crypto custody.