Cicada CEO & Co-founder warns crypto is entering a fully regulated era as trust, licensing and compliance reshape the industry. At AIBC Asia 2026, Max Moris argued that regulation is no longer optional but unavoidable.
“We are in a blockchain era without any privacy,” Moris said, highlighting the shift towards tighter identity and compliance controls. “We need to understand it. So KYC, KYB and all regulatory aspects will be the focus for the next one, two years.”
The Cicada executive pointed to licensing pressures across jurisdictions, noting the rising cost and complexity of operating globally. He added that regulatory divergence in Europe remains a challenge.
Fraud remains a big risk
Moris also argued that persistent fraud continues to damage the sector’s credibility. He also criticised the industry’s weak retention of reputation and accountability.
“A lot of companies, a lot of people, can scam one investor in one or two months; then they open a new startup and try to raise money again,” he said.
Moris said stronger regulation and securitisation could help rebuild trust. “I hope that, again, a licence and some kind of securitisation of crypto, first of all, will help us to fix this issue.”
Beyond regulation, Moris said artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping workflows across the industry.
“It’s really the future,” he said. “If you don’t understand, if you do not implement AI in your daily tasks, you will lose your job very, very soon.”
However, he cautioned against using AI in high-risk financial decision-making. Instead, Moris said AI should be treated as a productivity layer rather than a replacement for human judgement.
In the Crypto Regulation in 2026: What Changed and What’s Ahead, published by Sumsub, it notes that the global crypto market reached $4 trillion in 2025, alongside rising concerns over fraud, volatility and financial crime.
According to the analysis, 85 of 117 jurisdictions have already implemented or are implementing FATF Travel Rule requirements, up from 65 in 2024, reflecting a rapid tightening of AML expectations.
Looking ahead, the report identifies several key trends shaping 2026, including CBDC expansion, stablecoin harmonisation, regulated DeFi frameworks and stricter exchange audit requirements.
These developments reinforce Moris’ central message that crypto is moving into a fully regulated financial environment, one where trust, identity verification and compliance infrastructure are no longer optional but foundational.
As Moris put it: “We need to understand that this is what started already and this will be continuous.”
