The DeFi Education Fund identified 16 'anti-DeFi' amendments to the CLARITY Act this week, with proposals from Senators Cortez Masto, Kim, Van Hollen, Warren and Reed targeting core protections for developers and users. These changes would eliminate key safe harbors while expanding regulatory obligations, directly challenging DeFi's foundational legal frameworks.
Cortez Masto Targets Developer Protections
Her amendment rewrites the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act, removing legal shields for non-controlling developers. The fund says this converts the law from a protective shield into a weapon against developers. That's a sharp turn from the original 2023 legislation.
Reed Challenges Smart Contract Autonomy
His proposal specifically targets the Van Loon 5th Circuit ruling. It would subject all smart contracts to sanctions regardless of their autonomous operation or ownership structure. The fund notes this bypasses established court precedent in a single legislative stroke.
Warren's Amendment Volume Stands Out
Over 100 total amendments flooded into the CLARITY Act, with roughly 40 coming from Warren's office alone. The sheer volume makes it unlikely all proposals will get hearings during next week's markup session. The fund warned senators won't consider all submissions.
Fed Account Block Draws Swift Criticism
One amendment would stop the Federal Reserve from issuing master accounts to crypto firms. The crypto community and White House Crypto Advisor Patrick Witt immediately criticized the move as counterproductive. It's not the first regulatory hurdle crypto's faced this year.
DEF is pushing the community to contact senators before Friday's deadline. The markup session starts next Monday, but only a fraction of the 100+ amendments will get floor time.
