Why Regulating Cryptocurrency Is Crucial—and Hard to Do

  • The cryptocurrency industry has been marked by volatility, bankruptcies, and scandals, and after the recent implosion of crypto exchange FTX, many are calling for long-overdue regulation.
  • Regulators face challenges writing laws for the industry, though, as no one can agree on some fundamental aspects of it: Is crypto a currency, a commodity, or a security? And how do you regulate a decentralized global industry where no one is in charge?
  • Countries have had differing responses to its challenges: China and India outlawed crypto entirely, while El Salvador adopted Bitcoin as legal tender. Most lie between those extremes, but without international cooperation, regulation will continue to struggle.