SEC to Host Crypto Custody Roundtable on April 25
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will present its third public roundtable on April 25, discussing one of crypto’s most challenging subjects—custody.
The session, “Know Your Custodian: Key Considerations for Crypto Custody,” will include industry leaders. Panelists include Kraken’s Mark Greenberg, Anchorage Digital Bank’s Rachel Anderika, Exodus’ Veronica McGregor, and Fidelity Digital Asset Services, Fireblocks, and WisdomTree attendees.
SEC Commissioners Hester Peirce, Caroline Crenshaw, Acting Chair Mark Uyeda, and Crypto Task Force Chief of Staff Richard Gabbert will represent the regulator’s official voices.
This is perhaps one of the most difficult issues as we look to incorporate crypto assets into our regulatory framework,” said Peirce, head of the SEC’s Crypto Task Force.
This one is part of a four-part series, with previous discussions touching on token classification and regulation of crypto trading. Subsequent topics will cover decentralized finance (DeFi) and asset tokenization.
a16z Calls for Regulatory Adaptability for RIAs
A full letter was written by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) prior to the SEC roundtable on April 9. The firm asked the agency to modify crypto custody rules so RIAs could self-custody digital assets temporarily when necessary.
a16z argues that traditional custodial models strip digital assets of their full utility—especially those with on-chain governance, staking, or yield features.
In a subsequent blog post, the firm suggested five “Crypto Custody Principles” aimed at aligning regulatory protection with the technology of blockchain assets.
The firm underscored that temporary self-custody on the part of an RIA—when an authorized third-party custodian is unable to support complete asset usability—should not be considered a breach of custody rules.
Also, a16z discouraged categorical hot/cold wallet designations and suggested using a risk-based approach to avoiding loss or misuse.
While stopping short of advocating for a complete overhaul of the Custody Rule, the firm pushed for temporary guidance and clearer avenues that preserve fiduciary requirements without limiting crypto-native applications.
What’s Next for Crypto Custody Regulation?
With crypto custody under growing regulatory scrutiny, the April 25 SEC roundtable may decide how the agency defines worthy custody practices for digital assets.
a16z’s recommendations, if adopted, could potentially bridge the gap between current asset capability and regulations decades in the making—giving RIAs more operating flexibility in an evolving financial landscape.
