Objection to DeFi ‘broker rule’ returns to focus

The Blockchain Association’s latest letter comes with a warning to Capitol Hill lawmakers

article-image

Blockchain Association CEO Kristin Smith | Permissionless III by Mike Lawrence for Blockworks

share


This is a segment from the Forward Guidance newsletter. To read full editions, subscribe.


The Blockchain Association has spoken again. Or, well, they’ve written another letter. 

From the advocacy group that last month brought you a “consensus position” on market structure policy comes a warning to lawmakers on Capitol Hill. 

The choices they have: act, or possibly “cripple DeFi innovation in this country altogether.”

If you don’t remember, there was a proposed rule — finalized under the Biden administration — that would expand the “broker” definition to include software that allows users to access DeFi protocols.

The Blockchain Association says this “inappropriately and unlawfully misclassifies technology infrastructure as intermediaries” — forcing software companies that never take custody of users’ assets to nonetheless collect (and report to the government) those users’ personal info and transaction details.

The Wednesday letter, addressed to Sens. John Thune and Chuck Schumer, as well as Reps. Mike Johnson and Hakeem Jeffries, calls for them to vote “yes” on Sen. Ted Cruz’s Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution and repeal the so-called DeFi broker rule.

Blockchain Association’s Kristin Smith reminded us how long this battle goes back:

Loading Tweet..

The IRS then sought to implement this new definition in 2023. The agency, in June 2024, applied the rule to centralized intermediaries — leaving out reporting requirements for decentralized or non-custodial brokers. 

In December though, a second IRS rule sought to force tax reporting obligations onto crypto software providers that don’t act as intermediaries.

The effort by Cruz and Rep. Mike Carey to reverse it came two days after Trump’s inauguration.

Loading Tweet..

Blockchain Association members are set to discuss the CRA resolution with Congressional offices in DC on Feb. 26, a group spokesperson said. It’s unclear when exactly a vote would take place.

The latest letter adds: “Policy decisions with such severe consequences should be made by Congress deliberately — not accidentally through ill-conceived midnight rulemaking.”


Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters:

Tags

Decoding crypto and the markets. Daily, with Byron Gilliam.

Upcoming Events

Old Billingsgate

Mon - Wed, October 13 - 15, 2025

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

recent research

Research Report Templates.jpg

Research

Figure, founded by former SoFi CEO Mike Cagney, has emerged as a leader in onchain RWAs, with ~$17.5B publicly tokenized. The platform’s ecosystem volume is growing ~40% YoY as it expands beyond HELOCs into student loans, DSCR loans, unsecured loans, bankruptcy claims, and more. Operationally, Figure cuts average loan production cost by ~93% and compresses median funding time from ~42 days to ~10, creating a durable speed-and-cost advantage.

article-image

The Ethereum co-founder suggested LINEA holders would be eligible for other airdrops in cryptic tweet

article-image

The layer-2’s biggest release yet brings benefits — but a post-upgrade outage caused a chain reorg

article-image

Crypto is shifting into risk-on mode — pump.fun dominates meme activity, while Lido leans on treasury maneuvers

article-image

If the president breaks the Fed, he’ll own the budget problems

article-image

Combining Franklin Templeton’s tokenization expertise with Binance’s trading infrastructure could speed crypto adoption, companies say

article-image

The firm’s upcoming filing comes as competition heats up over the USDH stablecoin