Kevin O’Leary, the chairman of O’Leary Ventures, stressed the necessity for more regulatory clarity within the cryptocurrency sector at the recent Consensus 2025 event in Toronto. He expressed that the current lack of regulation hampers institutional investments in digital assets.

O’Leary stated, “I never thought I’d say this, but I want more regulation and I want it now.” He pointed out that with the appointment of Paul Atkins at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), who has shown a more accommodating attitude towards the crypto industry, there is hope for significant regulatory changes.

The former SEC chairman, Gary Gensler, was criticized for his aggressive enforcement policies, driving away many potential investors from the market. In contrast, with Atkins in his position, O’Leary is optimistic about the potential passage of the GENIUS Act, promising major developments for the crypto industry’s market infrastructure and opening doors for institutional investors. “A trillion dollars will come in and index [bitcoin]” once the new regulations are implemented.

O’Leary’s remarks emphasize that an improved regulatory environment is essential to facilitating larger investments from sovereign wealth and pension funds into the crypto domain.