Legal Hurdles Slow Institutional Adoption of Blockchain Infrastructure

Despite readiness of blockchains like Solana for institutional use, legal concerns delay full integration by large firms.

Jamie Bennett
Crypto Analyst
3 min read
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Legal Hurdles Slow Institutional Adoption of Blockchain Infrastructure
While leading blockchain networks such as Solana are technically ready to support large-scale institutional use, legal departments in many big firms remain cautious. Speaking at the Token2049 event in Dubai, Austin Federa, the founder of DoubleZero Labs and former Solana head of strategy, highlighted that the technical capabilities of blockchains are no longer a barrier. Instead, the hesitation comes from legal teams addressing regulatory concerns.

Federa noted that while today's blockchains can support institutional needs, legal departments need more time to adjust. "It's really more about the institutions and the institution's lawyers getting comfortable with crypto," Federa explained. Despite regulatory clarity improving in major markets like the United States, compliance issues continue to slow down adoption.

According to Federa, the necessary tools for enterprise-level activity on networks like Solana are in place. However, institutional adoption is not progressing as fast as some in the crypto community would like. "Institutions are coming on board, but they just move really slow," he said.

Federa also mentioned a growing trend of institutional participation in crypto infrastructure. This includes investments from venture capital firms and infrastructure providers who are contributing resources such as fiber infrastructure to DoubleZero. This level of commitment indicates a shift in how traditional finance views the crypto sector, yet the overall landscape still requires further maturity.

What does this mean for everyday crypto users? While institutions may take their time to adopt blockchain technology fully, their eventual participation could lead to increased credibility and more widespread adoption, potentially impacting the value and stability of certain cryptocurrencies.

As legal compliance becomes better aligned with technological capabilities, the pace of institutional adoption may increase, bringing more opportunities and potential challenges for the crypto space.