DEF and SPI file response to Treasury about GENIUS Act; DEF hosts DeFi and Dim Sum event; DEF launches redesigned website; Ethereum Protocol Advocacy Alliance launches

DEF and SPI File Response to Treasury Department on GENIUS Act Implementation

On November 4, 2025, DEF and Solana Policy Institute submitted a joint response to the U.S. Treasury Department’s advance notice of proposed rulemaking on the implementation of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act. This request for comment is a critical early step in determining how the GENIUS Act will apply in practice, especially as the Treasury Department considers which market participants in the crypto ecosystem should fall within federal oversight. 

Our response lays out three guiding principles to ensure that the GENIUS Act is implemented in a way that provides clarity, incentivizes U.S. innovation, and protects the technology: 1) regulatory obligations must center on control; 2) GENIUS Act implementation must focus on function over form; and 3) rules must align with existing statutory text and FinCEN guidance. 

Most importantly, we urge the Treasury to preserve the statutory definition of “digital asset service provider” (DASP), which properly captures only centralized intermediaries. We also advocate for a principles-based, technology-neutral framework that can evolve alongside rapidly advancing blockchain infrastructure; recommend protecting stablecoin rewards exactly as directed by the GENIUS Act; and we emphasize the urgent need for workable tax guidance so users aren’t penalized for routine network activity.

Read our full comment letter here.

DeFi Education Foundation Hosts DeFi and Dim Sum Event in NYC

On October 30, 2025, DeFi Education Foundation hosted its inaugural event—DeFi and Dim Sum—at the Golden Unicorn in NYC.

As the bridge between policy and DeFi, DeFi Education Foundation was excited to use this opportunity to bring together DeFi developers, investors, and policymakers influencing the future of crypto legislation in the United States.

DEF Launches Redesigned Brand and Website 

On November 4, 2025, DEF proudly unveiled our new brand and redesigned website. We’ve built a cleaner, more intuitive, search-forward experience for those looking to learn more about DeFi policy.

Explore DEF’s update look here.

Ethereum Protocol Advocacy Alliance Launches

On November 5, 2025, the Ethereum Protocol Advocacy Alliance (Alliance) announced its official launch. The Alliance coordinates policy efforts among protocol teams building core onchain infrastructure, including Aave Labs, Aragon, Curve, Lido Labs Foundation, Spark Foundation, The Graph Foundation, and Uniswap Foundation. The Alliance identifies four policy priorities: (1) protecting the neutrality of the protocol layer; (2) advancing onchain transparency as a compliance path; (3) preserving flexibility for protocol innovation; and (4) upholding global permissionless access.

Notably, the Alliance will also bolster the work of three advocacy organizations: the DeFi Education Fund, the Decentralization Research Center, and the European Crypto Initiative. 

For more details on the announcement, please read here.

DeFi Dictionary

In honor of the Ethereum Protocol Advocacy Alliance launching, this week’s phrase of the week is about the technology that underpins it all: 

Notable and Quotable

“Just so there’s no confusion, life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness are cypherpunk values. DeFi – in its purest form – embodies these values. Don’t waver.” — Rebecca Rettig, Chief Legal Officer at Jito Labs and Board of Members at DeFi Education Fund

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