A coalition of seven leading Ethereum protocols has officially launched the Ethereum Protocol Advocacy Alliance (EPAA) — an initiative designed to bridge the gap between blockchain developers and global policymakers. The alliance aims to protect innovation, ensure blockchain neutrality, and promote fair regulation within the decentralized ecosystem.
The founding members of EPAA include Aave Labs, Aragon, Curve Finance, Lido Labs Foundation, Spark Foundation, The Graph Foundation, and Uniswap Foundation. Collectively, these organizations safeguard over $100 billion in digital assets, highlighting their significant influence in the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector.
According to the group’s official statement, for over a decade, Ethereum developers have focused on building robust and transparent systems, while centralized institutions have invested heavily in lobbying efforts, shaping policy in their favor. This imbalance has often resulted in misunderstandings of the decentralized architecture that underpins blockchain innovation.
The EPAA seeks to act as a mediator between developers and regulators, helping to develop clear, modern, and innovation-friendly policies for the blockchain industry. Among the alliance’s top priorities are:
- Defending blockchain neutrality: EPAA argues that non-custodial DeFi protocols and developers should not be subject to the same legal frameworks as centralized entities. Writing code alone should not be criminalized.
- Leveraging blockchain transparency for compliance: The group insists that public blockchain networks should not be classified as intermediaries, as their open design already ensures accountability and traceability.
- Preserving innovation flexibility: Regulation should avoid being overly broad or restrictive, allowing protocol-level experimentation and technological advancement to flourish.
- Promoting open blockchain access: EPAA advocates for maintaining public access to blockchain data and infrastructure, reinforcing the ethos of decentralization.
Sam Kim, Chief Legal Officer of Lido Labs Foundation, emphasized the organization’s mission: “Decentralization is the foundation of Ethereum’s resilience. Through EPAA, we ensure that public policy not only recognizes but actively protects this core value.”
In its operational roadmap, EPAA plans to provide technical expertise, legal consultation, and educational outreach to policymakers. It will also collaborate with advocacy organizations such as the DeFi Education Fund, Decentralization Research Center, and European Crypto Initiative to strengthen its global impact.
The initiative has received official support from the Ethereum Foundation, whose co-executive director Tomasz Stanczak praised the move, stating that EPAA represents a growing awareness within the ecosystem of the need to educate and engage policymakers constructively.
In conclusion, the launch of the EPAA marks a pivotal step in the institutionalization of decentralized advocacy. As governments worldwide seek to regulate blockchain technologies, alliances like EPAA could play a crucial role in shaping balanced, future-ready frameworks that protect decentralization while enabling responsible innovation.
