Crypto Regulation Held Back by Political Will, Not Knowledge, Symbiotic COO Says

In an interview at the Blockchain Futurist Conference in Toronto, Symbiotic Chief Operating Officer Jillian Friedman argued that crypto regulation is being held back primarily by a lack of political will, not a lack of technical understanding among regulators. Friedman, who founded a crypto-focused law firm in 2014, noted that early industry expectations that regulatory clarity would trigger rapid institutional adoption have not materialized. She pointed out that regulators in several jurisdictions have developed significant expertise in blockchain and DeFi, but policy shifts often occur only after changes in government or regulatory leadership, indicating that knowledge is not the barrier. Friedman also criticized the era of 'mercenary capital' in crypto, where investors move between protocols for short-term gains like airdrops, arguing that sustainable value creation requires returns tied to real business models.