There’s a major conference on December 15, and this time the US SEC really can’t sit still anymore. They’ve directly called together several core figures from the privacy coin space to have a face-to-face discussion about a question everyone cares about—will there still be a path forward for privacy coins in the future?

To be honest, the attendees are far from ordinary. Zooko, the founder of Zcash and a pioneer in the privacy coin field, will be there in person; Aleo’s CEO Koh has also confirmed attendance, and their team has always been at the forefront of zero-knowledge proof technology. In addition, several senior members from the American Civil Liberties Union and the Blockchain Association will also be present. Just look at this lineup—it’s definitely not just for show.

The conflict has always been there. Developers and users need privacy protection, but regulators must ensure the traceability of funds. The previous incident where Tornado Cash’s developer was arrested and Samourai Wallet was seized has already made many people feel that this track is about to be completely shut down. Now that the SEC has taken the initiative to organize this meeting, it shows to some extent that they realize—simply relying on tough measures isn’t enough to suppress technological progress. They have to sit down and talk about something practical.

For regular participants, there are a few key points to pay attention to before and after this meeting. Leading up to the meeting, privacy-focused coins like ZEC, XMR, and AZERO are clearly gaining momentum, with some capital already positioning in advance. The key after the meeting will be interpreting the outcome: if both sides can discuss a relatively moderate regulatory framework, privacy tech may have a breakthrough opportunity for compliance; but if the talks break down or the SEC remains hardline, then volatility is almost inevitable.

Personally, I think this meeting marks the crypto industry’s shift from chaotic growth to a stage of regulatory negotiations. The SEC does not want to completely stifle innovation, but it also needs to establish some degree of control, so this meeting is more about testing each other’s bottom lines.

A few practical suggestions: closely follow the developments and official statements from the meeting on the 15th, and watch how the technical and regulatory sides confront each other; carefully analyze the signals released after the meeting to judge whether the inclination is toward open cooperation or disguised pressure; if you want to hold some privacy coins, it’s worth considering but don’t go all in—wait until the policy direction is clearer for a more secure adjustment.

This meeting isn’t just a collision of technology and policy—it directly affects the survival space for the privacy sector and will influence the price trends of related assets. On December 15, the rules of the game in the crypto world might truly be redefined.