Paradigm assembling new policy lab at ‘critical’ time for crypto regulation

The Paradigm Policy Lab will focus on research and tech-driven solutions to regulatory problems in the US

article-image

Former US Senator Pat Toomey | Christopher Halloran/Shutterstock modified by Blockworks

share

Crypto investment firm Paradigm is launching a new public policy arm aimed at advancing innovation-friendly lawmaking and policymaking in the US. 

Led by Paradigm special counsel Rodrigo Seira and policy manager Brendan Malone, the Policy Lab will provide research to “guide critical policy decisions,” Seira said.  

The initiative kicks off with two inaugural academic fellows, Primavera De Filippi from Harvard University’s Berkman Klein Center and Agostino Capponi from Columbia University. 

The two will focus on “regulatory equivalence, which is the comparability of legally-bounded and technologically-bounded systems and how the same policy outcomes can be achieved through regulation or through technological architecture,” Seira said. 

Pat Toomey, a former Republican senator who served until 2023, and Steve Israel, a congressional Democrat from New York who retired in 2017, are also part of the policy arm’s founding team. 

“This is a fast-moving, technical space and it’s important that policymakers have access to rigorous research and analysis to inform their policy efforts,” Toomey said. “I encourage members of Congress and their staffs to take full advantage of these resources to improve their understanding of new technology and examine the theoretical basis for financial services laws.”  

Paradigm’s policy push comes as the crypto firm continues to grow its presence in the US regulatory space. 

In July, the firm filed an amicus brief in support of Bittrex in their legal battle with the SEC, arguing that the agency is making an “unsupported attempt to expand its jurisdiction over crypto secondary markets.”

That same month, Paradigm added a government affairs lead, Alex Grieve, to its team. Grieve is a Capitol Hill alum and previously helped build the crypto practice at regulatory advisory firm Tiger Hill Partners. 

“We are at a critical point in the national discourse over crypto policy,” Seira said. “Everyone paying attention realizes the status quo is unsustainable; the lack of clarity is unnecessary, and it is pushing innovation offshore while leaving American consumers at risk. We need sound, technical research to provide insight for a much needed regulatory overhaul.”


Start your day with top crypto insights from David Canellis and Katherine Ross. Subscribe to the Empire newsletter.

Explore the growing intersection between crypto, macroeconomics, policy and finance with Ben Strack, Casey Wagner and Felix Jauvin. Subscribe to the Forward Guidance newsletter.

Get alpha directly in your inbox with the 0xResearch newsletter — market highlights, charts, degen trade ideas, governance updates, and more.

The Lightspeed newsletter is all things Solana, in your inbox, every day. Subscribe to daily Solana news from Jack Kubinec and Jeff Albus.

Tags

Upcoming Events

Javits Center North | 445 11th Ave

Tues - Thurs, March 18 - 20, 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

kamino cover.jpg

Research

Kamino has solidified its position as the leading money market on Solana and is emerging as a DeFi bluechip. Although DeFi competition is fierce, Kamino has kept iterating on its product to provide the best-in-class UX, paired with a robust risk management framework and battle-tested infrastructure. Given the rollout of Kamino Lend V2, the protocol may scale aggressively over the coming months, penetrating previously untapped markets in Solana DeFi.

article-image

In Friday’s Roundup, Jason Yanowitz said he doesn’t think we’ll see the markets “rip” until potentially January or even February

article-image

Why that the bull market might not start until 2025

article-image

August’s annual headline figure came in at 2.3% after an upward revision Thursday, so things are moving in the right direction 

article-image

MSTR’s stock price was roughly $248 at 2 pm ET Thursday

article-image

Ever since rates came off zero and fiscal deficits exploded, markets have started paying close attention to how the government is funding itself

article-image

Solana memecoins are collectively at an all-time high