[Roeland Van der Stappen: EU DeFi Regulatory Proposals May Force Users to High-Risk Platforms]
Roeland Van der Stappen, Head of EU Policy at Coinbase, stated that the EU's tightening regulatory efforts on DeFi may force users to switch to platforms with less investor protection. Regulated crypto platforms may restrict or eliminate access to DeFi services, pushing activity towards the least protected areas as rules designed to protect investors are implemented.
In September, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) proposed creating a new regulated category of crypto services for companies offering customers access to DeFi protocols, and the European Banking Authority (EBA) also urged the European Commission to study new rules for crypto lending in September. Van der Stappen believes that extending suitability testing to other DeFi services would treat simple stablecoin swaps the same as leveraged lending.
Lending, liquidity provision, and on-chain swaps will be the most affected activities, with some providers potentially scaling back their services or even exiting DeFi access entirely. Restricting access to regulated platforms could fragment DeFi liquidity, create walled gardens, and prompt users to turn to providers outside the EU that offer less protection.
