SEC to Discuss Crypto Privacy Next Week—Can Zero-Knowledge Proofs Be the Key to Breaking the Deadlock?

Question

[Chain News] According to reports, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is set to host a roundtable on December 15, focusing on sensitive topics such as cryptocurrency, financial surveillance, and privacy. Industry leaders like Zcash founder Zooko Wilcox will be in attendance.

Interestingly, this meeting could become a turning point. The core regulatory issue at hand is: how much room should be given for the survival of crypto privacy projects?

There are currently two possible directions on the table. The first is that if all parties can reach some sort of consensus—for example, recognizing that zero-knowledge proof technology can protect privacy while meeting compliance requirements—then the regulatory framework could become more flexible. Specifically, rules in areas such as broker-dealers of digital assets, alternative trading systems, and custodial services may allow reasonable space for privacy technologies.

But the second scenario is less optimistic. If the meeting splits into two camps—one insisting that “privacy is a fundamental right” and the other emphasizing “privacy facilitates criminal activity,” with neither side able to convince the other—then the likely outcome is to maintain the status quo. In other words, the current surveillance-centric regulatory approach would continue, and projects and advocates committed to privacy protection may have to prepare for legal battles.

Ultimately, this meeting is more than just a technical discussion. It is actually testing a boundary: under the pressures of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing, to what extent can the privacy demands of the crypto industry be taken seriously? Can technologies like zero-knowledge proofs become the key to breaking the deadlock?

After December 15, the answer should become clearer. For privacy coin projects like Zcash, the tone set by this meeting could directly impact their compliance strategies and market positioning for the coming years.

AirdropHunter · Accepted Answer

Zero-knowledge proofs might save privacy coins, but I doubt it. Do regulators even understand them?

Dalinlin · Answer

Can this coin withstand attacks from quantum computers?

BitcoinDaddy · Answer

Here we go again? Sounds nice, but in the end, it either gets banned or becomes irrelevant. ZEC has long been reduced to just a trading pair.

zkProofGremlin · Answer

Can zero-knowledge proofs really save the day? It still seems like it all depends on the SEC's attitude.

GasOptimizer · Answer

Same old rhetoric—can ZK proofs really save privacy coins? Keep dreaming.

MEVHunterLucky · Answer

To be honest, it's really hard to say whether this roundtable will yield any substantial results...

ZK technology is so impressive, but the regulators just don't trust it, no matter how much you try to convince them...

Let's wait and see on December 15, but I'll bet five bucks that in the end, everyone will just stick to their own views.

ForkTongue · Answer

Sounds like the same old routine—the SEC pretends to be open, but in reality, they're still trying to choke privacy projects.

GasFeeBeggar · Answer

Can zk really save the day? Feels like those people at the SEC just won't listen at all...