Regulation by enforcement is beginning to crumble, with a court recently ruling that the SEC’s refusal to issue a crypto rule was unlawful. A new crypto-friendly administration stands ready to create crypto clarity through new appointments at the SEC and the CFTC.
New acting CFTC Chair Caroline Pham has proposed an uncommon approach, namely the regulatory sandbox.
A regulatory sandbox is a waiver of regulations but in a supervised environment. Projects can test innovative ideas outside rigid regulatory frameworks. Federal digital asset sandboxes may come sooner than you think, but current state sandbox models fall short in the digital assets context, with extremely limited scopes and durations.
We propose a “Sustainable Sandbox” and develop Pham’s idea, along with similar proposals from SEC Commissioner Peirce, and various initiatives in states and the Federal Reserve.
The Sustainable Sandbox will give regulators enough time and information to draft thoughtful and sensible rules governing digital assets. Without such a stopgap, the digital assets industry would end up in the same place–trying to work with rules that do not make sense.
How sandboxes work
At its core, a regulatory sandbox allows businesses to conduct live experiments with innovative technologies while regulators observe and gather data. Businesses apply for waivers from certain laws that may technically apply to their activities but do not align with the unique nature of their innovations.
For example, a decentralized finance (DeFi) platform might be exempted from securities regulations that were designed for traditional financial intermediaries. This exemption provides the freedom to innovate without being hamstrung by outdated rules.
Importantly, regulatory sandboxes do not equate to a regulatory free-for-all. Participants must adhere to baseline standards for consumer protection and financial stability, ensuring that accountability is not sacrificed in the name of innovation.
In practice, regulatory sandboxes have proven to be valuable tools for identifying outdated regulations. By generating real-world data, they enable lawmakers to assess whether certain rules should be reformed or repealed. Without such mechanisms, unnecessary or impractical regulations risk stifling progress and innovation.
Lessons from the U.K. and beyond
The U.K. has been a pioneer in implementing regulatory sandboxes. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) introduced its sandbox in 2016, offering a structured environment for businesses to test new ideas. Participants have ranged from large law firms to cryptocurrency projects, reflecting the sandbox’s inclusivity and flexibility.
In terms of digital assets innovation, the U.K.’s success can be attributed to its focus on fostering both collaboration and innovation. By allowing businesses to experiment within a regulated framework, the sandbox has attracted a diverse array of participants and provided critical insights into how emerging technologies interact with existing laws.
Other regions, such as Singapore and the UAE, have also embraced sandboxes as tools for driving innovation. Singapore’s Monetary Authority (MAS) has used its sandbox to advance tokenization in financial services, while the UAE has leveraged its framework to attract blockchain startups. These examples highlight the potential of sandboxes to position countries as global leaders in the digital asset space.
Challenges facing regulatory sandboxes
Despite their benefits, the existing regulatory sandboxes face several limitations:
Narrow scope: Most sandboxes are restricted to specific industries or activities, limiting their applicability to broader regulatory challenges. Participants must also apply and be accepted, so not all projects are treated equally.
Short duration: Sandboxes often have fixed timelines, requiring businesses to exit the program without long-term regulatory clarity.
High costs: Participating in a sandbox can be resource-intensive for both businesses and regulators, deterring smaller players from applying.
To address these challenges, we propose the “Sustainable Sandbox” – a redesigned framework tailored to the unique needs of the crypto industry.
Designing the ‘sustainable sandbox’
The “Sustainable Sandbox” builds on the strengths of existing models while addressing their shortcomings. Here’s how it would work:
1. Simplified automatic enrollment
Participants that complete a form filing process will be automatically enrolled, and will not be subject to an application and acceptance process by the regulator. Businesses that don’t fit the default form, such as DAOs or decentralized exchanges, could propose their own compliance frameworks (subject to regulatory approval) aligned with broad policy goals set by regulators.
2. Data-driven decision-making
Regulators would collect and analyze data from sandbox participants to evaluate the effectiveness of waived regulations. This information could inform broader reforms, creating a feedback loop that aligns regulation with innovation, and enabling regulators to write new sensible rules.
3. Seamless transitions
At the end of the sandbox period, participants could transition to a tailored safe harbor (which SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce has long envisioned) or receive no-action letters (but remain subject to light oversight), providing long-term regulatory clarity. This ensures that businesses do not face a regulatory cliff, which could disrupt operations and deter participation.
Why now?
The need for a “Sustainable Sandbox” in the U.S. has never been greater. Innovative industries like blockchain and AI are evolving rapidly, but outdated legal frameworks threaten to stifle their potential. At the same time, many regulators lack a deep understanding of these technologies, making it difficult to craft effective rules. By setting broad policy goals and collaborating with industry stakeholders, regulators can bridge this knowledge gap and create a more adaptive legal framework.
The recent Supreme Court decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo further underscores the urgency of regulatory innovation. By removing courts’ deference to agency interpretations of their authority, the ruling shifts power toward regulated industries, emphasizing the need for more collaborative governance. The “Sustainable Sandbox” offers a path forward, balancing the needs of regulators and innovators in a rapidly changing landscape.
Final thoughts
As the crypto industry continues to grow, so does the need for regulatory frameworks that can keep pace with innovation. The “Sustainable Sandbox” provides a blueprint for balancing experimentation with accountability, fostering a collaborative environment where both regulators and businesses can thrive. By embracing this model, the U.S. has an opportunity to lead the world in crypto innovation while ensuring consumer protection and market stability.
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