An anti-decentralized finance (DeFi) advocacy campaign is drawing attention on Capitol Hill after reports surfaced that a newly formed group is running television advertisements urging Americans to pressure lawmakers to pass crypto legislation that excludes DeFi-related provisions.
According to screenshots shared on X by Eleanor Terrett, host of Crypto in America, the group, called Investors For Transparency, is airing prime-time ads on Fox News.
The ads reportedly encourage viewers to call their senators using a provided hotline and demand the passage of crypto market structure legislation “without DeFi provisions.”
The advertisements appear to target decentralized finance rules that some traditional financial institutions view as a threat to the banking sector. The messaging urges lawmakers to advance crypto oversight while carving out or limiting provisions that would formally regulate DeFi protocols, which typically operate without intermediaries.
The timing of the campaign is notable. Senators are expected to begin voting on portions of a long-awaited crypto market structure bill in relevant committees next week. One of the most contentious issues in the legislation is how, or whether, decentralized finance should be regulated under federal law.
Lawmakers, regulators, banks, and crypto industry participants have been divided over whether DeFi platforms should face requirements similar to centralized exchanges and financial institutions.
While the precise language of the DeFi provisions remains unclear, more details are expected soon. The Senate Banking Committee is scheduled to release its section of the bill ahead of a planned markup on Thursday, which could clarify how decentralized protocols will be treated under the proposed framework.
The emergence of Investors For Transparency adds another layer to the intensifying policy debate.
Critics argue that excluding DeFi from crypto legislation could undermine consumer protections and regulatory clarity, while supporters of the group’s stance claim that heavy-handed rules could stifle innovation and entrench traditional financial interests.
As lawmakers prepare to finalize committee drafts, the public advertising push highlights the growing influence of advocacy groups in shaping U.S. crypto policy, and underscores how DeFi has become one of the most polarizing issues in Washington’s approach to digital assets.