Summer Mersinger of the Blockchain Association testified before the House Financial Services Committee, advocating for regulatory differentiation between DeFi protocols and traditional financial intermediaries. Mersinger stated that DeFi systems should receive 'appropriately tailored equivalent consideration by the SEC' rather than being subjected to intermediary-based compliance frameworks. The goal is to preserve DeFi's role as open, neutral infrastructure while maintaining oversight of activities presenting traditional financial risks. The testimony reflects ongoing industry efforts to shape SEC policy around DeFi regulation, with the distinction between infrastructure and intermediaries becoming a focal point in broader debates over how financial regulators should approach decentralized protocols versus centralized service providers. This regulatory positioning could significantly impact how DeFi protocols operate and comply with U.S. financial regulations.