Regulating the Crypto Economy

The 2nd edition of this acclaimed book provides an updated analysis of the developments in the onchain crypto economy, crypto industries and regulatory reforms in key jurisdictions, focusing on the EU and UK.

The onchain crypto economy has grown to cater for niche activities such as digital art, gaming and Decentralised Finance, while crypto service providers have innovated significantly on financialising the crypto economy for access and participation. This area has attracted much financial regulation, and the book provides the first and leading comparative account, especially between the EU's and UK's regulatory frameworks.

The book's key argument is that financial regulatory approaches have been path dependent and limited in terms of regulatory innovation, engaging mostly with crypto service providers who have offchain relationships with crypto asset holders, avoiding many issues pertaining to onchain transactions and activities. The regulatory approaches are an incomplete picture and are limited in providing an enabling framework for the crypto economy.

The 2nd edition continues to adhere to the extension of 'regulatory capitalism' to the crypto economy and argues that appropriate and innovative regulation can be enabling for innovative productivities in this alternative economic space. It critically explores the achievements and drawbacks of the primacy of financial regulation for the crypto economy, especially with its current limitations. It also offers proposals and normative perspectives for constructively regulating the crypto economy.