Anti-DeFi interest groups run ads in the US to pressure legislation, stablecoin regulation controversy heats up

【Blockchain Rhythm】 Recently, there has been some turbulence in the US crypto regulatory landscape. On January 10th, an organization called “Investors For Transparency” ran an ad on Fox News, directly urging the public to pressure their state senators to push for legislation on cryptocurrency market structure, but with the condition that DeFi-related clauses are not included.

From a screenshot shared by crypto journalist Eleanor Terrett, the wording of the ad is quite interesting—“Tell your senator: support crypto legislation that does not include DeFi clauses,” along with a hotline number for the public to contact their senator’s office directly. Another line in the ad is more straightforward: “Don’t let DeFi hinder innovation.”

The underlying logic actually reflects the core concerns of the traditional financial sector. The focus this time is on the CLARITY Act. Banking lobbying groups worry that if this bill passes, stablecoin issuers might be allowed to offer interest-bearing products, which would look very similar to bank deposits, potentially causing a direct impact on the traditional banking system. The US Department of the Treasury estimated in April this year that if stablecoins are adopted on a large scale, traditional banks could lose up to $6.6 trillion in deposits. That number is indeed quite alarming.

Timing is also very sensitive. While the ad was running, the US Senate Banking Committee announced its schedule: this Thursday (January 15th) at 10 a.m. (Eastern Time), the committee will review and amend the CLARITY Act. This adds a sense of urgency to the whole event.

The Web3 community responded strongly. Hayden Adams, CEO of Uniswap Labs, directly criticized: this organization opposes DeFi but remains silent about its own members and sources of funding. Such behavior is “both ironic and unsurprising.” The implication is clear—those behind the scenes supporting this movement are well aware of who they are.