The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is putting crypto privacy and financial surveillance center stage in a major roundtable scheduled for December 15 in Washington, D.C.
Quick Summary (TLDR)
- The SEC will host a public roundtable on financial surveillance and crypto privacy on December 15.
- The event will feature regulators, privacy advocates, and crypto leaders discussing emerging technologies and user protections.
- Speakers include leaders from Zcash, StarkWare, the Blockchain Association, ACLU, and others.
- The roundtable aims to explore balanced regulation without compromising innovation or civil liberties.
What Happened?
The SEC’s Crypto Task Force has released the full agenda for its rescheduled Roundtable on Financial Surveillance and Privacy. Originally set for October, the event was postponed and will now take place on December 15 at the SEC’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET. A public webcast will also be available without registration.
This event gathers a diverse group of participants to tackle one of the most sensitive challenges in crypto today: how to balance innovation with surveillance and user privacy.
JUST IN: 🇺🇸🏛️ The SEC has updated the agenda for its Dec. 15 roundtable on crypto, financial surveillance, and privacy — featuring Zcash founder Zooko Wilcox, and other crypto and blockchain leaders. pic.twitter.com/9GFpS9CBWI
— Bitcoin.com News (@BitcoinNews) December 5, 2025
Industry and Government Leaders to Join Privacy Discussion
The roundtable will kick off with welcome remarks from SEC leaders, including Crypto Task Force Chief of Staff Richard B. Gabbert, Chairman Paul S. Atkins, and Commissioners Mark T. Uyeda and Hester M. Peirce.
Two main panels will take place, both moderated by Yaya J. Fanusie, Senior Advisor to the Crypto Council for Innovation and Global Head of Policy at the Aleo Network Foundation. The expert lineup includes executives and thought leaders from:
- Espresso Systems
- Zcash
- Digital Asset
- Predicate
- SpruceID
- StarkWare
- Penumbra Strategies
- Digital Self Labs
- Blockchain Association
- American Civil Liberties Union
- George Mason Law School
- Etherealize
The panelists will explore the fine line between financial surveillance and user privacy, discussing new tools and technologies that could redefine data collection, risk mitigation, and consumer rights in the crypto space.
Focus on Transparency, Innovation, and Consumer Protection
Key talking points will include the effectiveness and scope of data monitoring tools, the potential for regulatory overreach, and how privacy-preserving technologies like zero-knowledge proofs could reshape oversight.
The SEC made it clear that participation in the event does not imply any endorsement of individual projects or technologies. However, the agency sees this as a learning opportunity to better understand the evolving landscape.
Topics to be covered include:
- The role of crypto firms in user data collection
- Federal oversight challenges and gaps
- How to protect consumers without stifling innovation
- International coordination on crypto monitoring
This event also comes amid growing calls from traditional financial firms like Citadel to step up regulatory supervision of decentralized finance (DeFi) systems.
A Step Toward Better Rules for Crypto Privacy
The SEC noted that the discussions could help shape future guidelines and inform legislative efforts already under review. Regulators are seeking a middle ground that upholds both market integrity and personal freedoms. Coordination with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is also in the works as agencies aim for regulatory clarity.
Public commentary will be encouraged during and after the event, giving both industry insiders and everyday crypto users a voice in how privacy should be treated in future rules.
This roundtable may also influence international policy efforts, especially as the U.S. and U.K. continue their collaboration on digital asset oversight through a joint task force.
Daily Research News Takeaway
I really like the direction the SEC is taking here. Instead of charging forward with heavy-handed rules, they’re taking time to listen, learn, and invite real experts into the conversation. With privacy becoming a make-or-break issue for crypto adoption, this roundtable might be a turning point. If the agency truly aims to protect both innovation and consumer rights, this could lead to smarter, more balanced regulations that help the entire industry grow responsibly.
Hover or focus to see the definition of the term.
