Coinbase's EU policy lead Roeland Van der Stappen warned that the European Union's push to tighten DeFi regulation could drive crypto users toward platforms with fewer investor protections. He noted that regulated crypto exchanges may respond to new requirements by restricting or removing access to DeFi services altogether. The comments follow a September response by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) to the European Commission's consultation on the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). ESMA proposed creating a new category of regulated crypto service for firms providing clients access to DeFi protocols, and is also considering introducing client "suitability tests" for crypto lending.