Crypto veteran Kevin O’Leary, chairman of O’Leary Ventures, believes the industry is poised for significant growth once regulatory clarity arrives. He highlighted that uncertainty in regulations has been a major barrier to institutional investment, with giants like pension funds and sovereign wealth funds holding back due to unclear rules. 2025’s Consensus conference saw O’Leary discuss his SEC experience, including a Wells Notice related to debt tokenization which kept him out of the regulatory spotlight for some time. However, after the departure of SEC chair Gary Gensler, the agency is now taking a more crypto-friendly approach, dropping many of the high-profile cases initiated under his leadership. 6th-largest shareholder in Hedera Hashgraph, O’Leary believes clear regulations are essential for unlocking massive institutional investment, citing the change in sentiment and the appointment of new SEC chair Paul Atkins who has signaled a willingness to collaborate with crypto companies. He also predicts stablecoin legislation will eventually be passed, paving the way for digital payment expansion and kickstarting further regulatory measures like the Market Infrastructure Act. O’Leary emphasized his confidence in HBAR as an investment opportunity, highlighting his substantial holdings and his view of it as a diversification strategy within his portfolio. He also expressed optimism about projects like Ethereum and Avalanche, viewing them primarily as diversifiers rather than core crypto investments. As O’Leary envisions the future of the industry, he believes that cryptocurrency will become integral to the global economy within the next five years, streamlining cross-border payments for individuals and businesses alike.