On March 27, the U.S. Senate will vote on a resolution to overturn the IRS broker rule, which requires DeFi platforms to comply with traditional financial regulations. If passed, the measure heads to President Donald Trump, who could sign it into law as early as March 28.
Finalized in December 2023, this rule expands the definition of "brokers" to include:
This classification forces them to:
✅ Collect user data (KYC requirements)
✅ Monitor and report transactions to the IRS
✅ Comply with tax reporting laws originally designed for centralized brokers
The rule was introduced by the Biden administration as part of an effort to close tax loopholes in the crypto industry.
Crypto advocacy groups, including the Blockchain Association and DeFi Education Fund, argue that:
🚫 DeFi doesn’t have intermediaries – there’s no "broker" to report transactions.
🚫 It’s technically impossible – smart contracts can’t collect KYC info.
🚫 It could drive DeFi innovation out of the U.S. – making the country less competitive.
In December 2023, these organizations sued the Treasury Department, arguing the rule oversteps federal authority and threatens the decentralized nature of DeFi.
The Senate is expected to pass the resolution with bipartisan support. If it goes through:
✅ The IRS will no longer enforce the rule on DeFi platforms.
✅ The U.S. crypto industry gets breathing room from heavy-handed regulation.
✅ Trump could sign the repeal into law as soon as March 28.
Even if this rule is overturned, regulators won’t stop trying to tax and regulate DeFi. Future proposals could include:
For now, this vote represents a win for the DeFi sector, but the battle over regulation is far from over.
👀 Will the U.S. finally embrace DeFi, or is this just a temporary win?
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