GM! We’re a student-run organization at @BerkeleyLaw . You can also find us on.LinkedIn: Newsletter: Email: berkeley@gmail.com . Our guest speakers include: .Hermine Wong | @herminewong_xyz.Paul Grewal |.

10/ The Path Forward.The future of staking hinges on regulatory clarity. We call on the SEC to protect users, safeguard decentralization, and create the conditions for staking to mature into a secure, transparent foundation for blockchain networks.

9/ One Size Doesn’t Fit All.One-size-fits-all regulation will not work. Protocol-native staking, staking-as-a-service, and financialized staking instruments present distinct risks and must be treated accordingly. Tailored rules preserve innovation and investor protection alike.

8/ Open-Source Infrastructure.Validator infrastructure must be open source. Closed-source clients concentrate control and introduce opaque failure risks. Protocols should require publicly audited software, published update mechanisms, and community governance over critical.

7/ Licensing Validator Influence.Dominant validators should be licensed. Entities with significant validating power must disclose affiliations, stake concentration, uptime, censorship activity, and governance influence. Without this, networks risk covert centralization.

6/ Require Real-Time Disclosures.Disclosure standards are essential. Users need real-time data on validator performance, slashing history, yield distribution, and protocol upgrades. These should be integrated directly into wallets, dashboards, and explorers—not buried in fine.

5/ Cap Yields and Fees.Advertised staking yields are often inflated. Platforms extract hidden fees or obscure reward variability. We recommend capping intermediary fees at 5% and tying yield claims to protocol-native base rates. Transparency must come first.

4/ Defining “Staking” Precisely.The SEC should adopt a formal definition of staking. Not all “staking” is equal. Some products labeled as staking behave more like lending or yield farming. Clear naming standards would prevent investor confusion and marketing arbitrage.

3/ Types of Staking.Staking takes several forms, each with distinct risks. - Consensus-layer staking (e.g., Ethereum, Cosmos) secures blockchains but faces issues like validator centralization and slashing. - Protocol-level staking (e.g., Uniswap, MakerDAO) aligns users with.

2/ Staking and Decentralization.Staking replaces mining in PoS networks by requiring users to lock up tokens and validate transactions. It’s not just passive yield—it’s core infrastructure. But decentralization is essential. When staking power concentrates or validator software.

1/ Staking secures proof-of-stake blockchains—but today’s staking ecosystem is fragmented, opaque, and vulnerable to abuse. Our team at Blockchain and Law at Berkeley (BLAB) submitted a comment to the SEC proposing a regulatory framework that protects investors and preserves.

Blockchain & Law @ Berkeley (BLAB) is pleased to have submitted a comment letter in response to Commissioner Hester Peirce’s request for input titled "There Must Be Some Way Out of Here.". We urge the @SECGov to adopt a nuanced approach that distinguishes blockchain layer.

We're looking forward to FtC San Francisco! 🙌. Join us for the two-day event bringing together builders, funders, and researchers to explore how we govern and fund AI, blockchain, and digital infrastructure as public goods. Thank you @FundingCommons and

RT @BerkeleyRDI: And don’t forget to signup for affiliated days - Blockchain Innovation Forum and other events at L….

RT @CalBlockchain: T-24 hours to go… the team is hard at work on finalizing some details, and we are incredibly excited to bring the blockc….

RT @CalBlockchain: Mark your calendars because during April 11-14, we are hosting back-to-back events from our Blockchain Innovators Forum….

RT @OnePieceLabs: 💥 Recap from our @UCBerkeley Tour: A Resounding Success! 💥. The energy at UC Berkeley was electrifying as we delved into….

RT @OKX_Ventures: At the Berkeley Intelligent & Verifiable App Conference hosted by @0xberkeleylaw and @CalBlockchain during #ETHDenver2024….

@EthereumDenver @CalBlockchain @yi_mcsquared @imatomster It was so nice to see everyone on Saturday and watch folks connect IRL at an art gallery in downtown Denver. ❤️‍🔥 from BIVAC's organizing team: