As an immigrant entrepreneur, a woman in tech, and the founder of the only crypto company with fully audited, public reporting at the time of its launch, I have always believed in the American Dream. I believed that the United States was the best place in the world to build companies that challenge the status quo, foster financial inclusion, and accelerate innovation. But in recent years, that belief has been tested to its limits.
On paper, America claims to be the land of opportunity — but for many entrepreneurs like me, it has started to feel more like the land of hostility. Nowhere is that more visible than in the digital assets space, where visionary founders have been made targets of aggressive, inconsistent regulation.
I know this firsthand. Despite running a crypto company that embraced transparency — a rarity in the space — and voluntarily adhered to rigorous, public financial reporting standards, I still found myself in the crosshairs of regulatory uncertainty. The so-called “war on crypto” led by SEC Chairman Gary Gensler has not just stifled bad actors — it has pushed legitimate entrepreneurs like myself to question whether building in the U.S. is even viable.
A Regulatory Environment That Punishes Compliance
Imagine being an entrepreneur who does everything by the book — who invests millions in legal, financial, and compliance infrastructure to ensure that your business operates with integrity — only to be lumped in with bad actors simply because you operate in an emerging industry like crypto. That has been my experience.
Rather than rewarding compliance, the U.S. regulatory environment has become a maze of contradictions and unpredictability. Enforcement-first approaches create fear, drive innovation offshore, and force entrepreneurs to make impossible choices: abandon your vision or abandon the country you hoped to call home.
The GENIUS Act: A Ray of Hope
This is why the introduction of the GENIUS Act — Generating Entrepreneurial New Ideas for the United States — feels like both a lifeline and a stark reminder of what we’re risking.
The GENIUS Act aims to accelerate entrepreneurship by reducing barriers for foreign-born founders, streamlining the visa process, and encouraging innovators to build the next generation of companies in the United States. It recognizes a simple truth: the best ideas know no borders, and America thrives when it attracts the world’s brightest minds.
But the Act is not just about visas. It represents a broader vision for reclaiming the U.S. as the global epicenter for innovation. It’s about restoring faith that this country welcomes those willing to take risks, build companies, and create jobs — whether in AI, clean tech, or yes, even in blockchain and digital assets.
Entrepreneurs Shouldn’t Have to Choose Between Innovation and Exile
I want to believe the GENIUS Act marks a turning point. But policy is only as good as its implementation. For the U.S. to remain the beacon of entrepreneurship, we need more than symbolic legislation — we need regulatory clarity, fairness, and a culture that embraces, not vilifies, the builders of tomorrow.
Entrepreneurs like me should never have to consider abandoning the United States simply to pursue innovation in peace. The irony is bitter: I have been celebrated in boardrooms and international forums for advancing financial inclusion and women’s empowerment — yet here at home, I’ve been treated as a potential threat.
The Most Brilliant Piece of Regulation? It Starts with Trust.
The GENIUS Act may be the most brilliant piece of regulation introduced in recent times — not because it adds more rules, but because it acknowledges the fundamental engine of progress: trust in entrepreneurs. But trust must be reciprocal. The U.S. government must trust innovators, just as innovators invest their future, their capital, and their faith in America.
I urge lawmakers to not only pass the GENIUS Act but to pair it with a complete reset of the regulatory approach to innovation, especially in blockchain and digital assets. Only then will we ensure that the next wave of groundbreaking companies — built by women, immigrants, and pioneers from all walks of life — will choose to build, grow, and stay in the United States.
It’s not too late. But time is running out.
Silvina Moschini is a tech entrepreneur, founder of Unicoin, and a passionate advocate for women’s economic empowerment and inclusive innovation.
