Citadel Pushes SEC to Treat DeFi Tokenized Equities as Regulated Market Activity

Highlights:

• Citadel has urged the SEC to increase oversight on tokenized stock trading.
• The debate over DeFi tokenized equities is growing as developers fear strict rules may limit user access.
• Crypto advocates warn that heavy rules on builders may shift innovation offshore.

Citadel Securities has urged the SEC to increase scrutiny of platforms that enable trading of tokenized United States equities. The firm sent its comments after the agency requested feedback on possible rules for these digital assets.

Citadel has argued that many DeFi trading systems organize buyers and sellers in a coordinated way. The firm stated that these systems meet functional tests for exchanges or broker-dealers. Citadel has called for regulators to apply the same standards across all trading environments.

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Citadel causes uproar for urging SEC to regulate DeFi tokenized stocks pic.twitter.com/MPoZF1QhAH

— AlertsAlgosBots (@Adanigj) December 4, 2025

The firm has rejected broad exemptive relief for tokenized stock platforms. Citadel noted that exemptions would create two different regulatory regimes for the same security. It argues that such a split would break the technology-neutral framework that guides securities oversight. The firm has also warned about the rise of shadow equity markets. It stated that these markets could weaken liquidity and reduce critical investor protections.

Citadel also expressed concerns regarding reporting and surveillance tool vulnerabilities. It claimed that tokenized trading can circumvent mechanisms that promote fairness and market integrity. The company suggested that the recent volatility experienced in the crypto markets underscores the importance of standardized regulations. Citadel noted that regulators must not show leniency in the name of an activity appearing on a blockchain. In particular, Citadel presented the problem as a question of the quality of the market and the trust of the investors.

Crypto Community Pushes Back as Debate Over DeFi Tokenized Equities Intensifies

Crypto users and industry leaders have argued that the proposal targets open-source developers and threatens innovation. Attorney Jake Chervinsky has questioned Citadel’s motives. He argued that many users already expect the firm to resist systems that remove intermediaries. His comments reflect a persistent frustration within the crypto sector.

Who ever thought @Citadel would be against innovation that removes predatory, rent-seeking intermediaries from the financial system?

Oh, right, literally every single person in crypto. https://t.co/S5sYYBw71u

— Jake Chervinsky (@jchervinsky) December 3, 2025

Hayden Adams has also challenged Citadel’s stance. He says the firm dislikes open tools that lower barriers to liquidity creation. Adams argues that peer-to-peer systems support transparency and wider access. He says Citadel benefits from structures that rely on centralized intermediaries. His remarks have fueled strong debate across crypto networks.

First Ken Griffin screwed over Constitution DAO

Now he's coming for DeFi, asking the SEC to treat software developers of decentralized protocols like centralized intermediaries

Bet Citadel has been lobbying behind closed doors on this for years

Okay thats all pretty bad, but… pic.twitter.com/ExoNhbhadu

— Hayden Adams 🦄 (@haydenzadams) December 4, 2025

Summer Mersinger from the Blockchain Association has also criticized the proposal. She says the plan treats software developers as financial intermediaries. She warns that such treatment may push innovation outside the United States. Mersinger has urged the SEC to focus on actors who directly control user assets. Her comments show growing concern over the direction of digital asset policy.

Traditional finance groups have taken another approach. SIFMA has supported innovation but insists that tokenized securities follow the same protections as other assets. The group has argued that the recent crypto disruptions justify this position. The World Federation of Exchanges has also opposed wide exemptions for tokenized stock trading. Its comments show a broader divide over the future of digital market regulation.

Wider Rift Emerges as Concerns Grow Over Developer Liability

Citadel has expanded its argument by identifying several roles within the DeFi ecosystem. It noted that validators, routing wallets, liquidity providers, and front-end operators may influence trading outcomes. The firm argues that these roles resemble functions already governed by securities law. It says the same activity should follow the same rules.

Crypto developers have cautioned that registration requirements may be pushed down to small project teams. The developers have noted that a change in requirements might end up affecting DAO members and interface creators.