Jillian Friedman, chief operating officer at Symbiotic, believes the biggest obstacle to crypto regulation has been political decision-making rather than a shortage of expertise among regulators. In a recent statement, she emphasized that while regulators possess the necessary knowledge to craft effective policies, a lack of political will has stalled progress.
As cryptocurrencies increasingly become viewed as assets that can generate long-term value—evidenced by holdings of companies like Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ: MSTR)—regulation could evolve to catch up to these changing perspectives. Friedman noted that the shifting view of digital assets from speculative tools to legitimate investment vehicles may pressure policymakers to act.
The comments come amid ongoing debates in the U.S. and globally about how to regulate the crypto sector. While some jurisdictions, such as the European Union with its Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework, have advanced legislation, others lag due to political gridlock. Friedman's remarks highlight a critical bottleneck: even when technical solutions are available, political consensus remains elusive.
Symbiotic, a firm focused on blockchain and crypto solutions, advocates for clearer guidelines that balance innovation with consumer protection. Friedman argued that further delays could harm the industry's growth and push innovation offshore. She called for lawmakers to prioritize crypto regulation as digital assets become more mainstream.
The full perspective from Symbiotic was shared via CryptoCurrencyWire, a platform that covers blockchain and cryptocurrency news. The piece underscores the tension between regulatory ambition and political reality in the crypto space.
