Copper’s Barber: Traditional Financial Players Want to See Regulation in Crypto

Traditional financial players are very accustomed to following strict regulatory guidelines and digital assets pose a challenge, according to Copper’s Barber.

article-image

Glenn Barber, Copper.co, (center) at DAS NYC 2021; Photo by Mike Lawrence

share
  • Glenn Barber recently joined Copper from the traditional financial space
  • Traditional players that are looking to get involved in crypto will probably feel more comfortable with more defined regulations, he said

Glenn Barber, head of sales in the Americas at Copper, sat down with Blockworks during the New York Digital Assets Summit to discuss the state of the cryptocurrency industry and how companies are staying ahead. 

“I’ve found that things move really quickly,” Barber said, speaking about changes in the space. 

“Firms that want to be successful in crypto really do have to say ‘okay, what does the market cycle look like, how are we going to deliver that,’ and that is a big responsibility.” 

Barber started his role in August 2021 after a career in traditional finance. Cryptocurrencies can be intimidating for investors and institutions that are accustomed to strict regulations and protocols. 

“One of the evolving themes of traditional financial players getting into the space is the question of how to maintain fiduciary responsibility,” he said. “I think people from this space not take for granted, but are just so used to the embedded layers of investor protection that the various regulatory regimes over decades have put into place.” 

Newcomers into space are concerned about security and serving clients the best they can and regulatory measures will hopefully help traditional financial players feel more comfortable entering the digital asset space, Barber said. 

Watch the full interview below and all of the panel videos from DAS here


Are you a UK or EU reader that can’t get enough investor-focused content on digital assets? Join us in London on November 15th and 16th for the Digital Asset Summit (DAS) London. Use code ARTICLE for £75 off your ticket. Buy it now.


Tags

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

Upcoming Events

Javits Center North | 445 11th Ave

Tues - Thurs, March 24 - 26, 2026

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

Unlocked by Template.png

Research

The march toward an interoperable and onchain-by-default internet depends on reliable messaging and value transfer across heterogeneous domains. Crosschain protocols now process >$1.3T in combined annual transfer volume and secure tens of millions of user interactions, yet no single design dominates.

article-image

The goal, per Santiago Santos, is to make crypto a relatable piece of tech for people who may not even understand it

article-image

Stripe stablecoin unit aims to operate under a federal charter enabling regulated stablecoin issuance and custody services

by Blockworks /
article-image

Will TradFi make crypto better or create more problems than it solves?

article-image

Subtle decisions by risk curators saved Aave from significant turmoil

article-image

The new Rootstock Institutional unit aims to connect professional investors to Bitcoin-native yield and liquidity strategies anchored in BTC’s security layer

by Blockworks /
article-image

DOJ files record civil forfeiture against more than 127,000 BTC linked to scam activity

by Blockworks /