<p>Interviews of crypto firms conducted by The Block shows – perhaps unsurprisingly – that regulatory uncertainty in the U.S. remains the top barrier for companies working in the crypto and digital asset space.</p> <p>Ninety-one percent of companies interviewed as part of The Block Genesis's Digital Asset Human Capital Trends Report, commissioned by the Blockchain Association, cited "regulatory uncertainty" as a barrier.</p> <p><span class="a">“Everybody heard that term, which </span><span class="a">is regulation by enforcement and </span><span class="a">that's a real fear and that’s hard to </span><span class="a">rely on and set up businesses," Michelle Bond, global head of government and regulatory affairs for Ripple, told The Block.</span></p> <p>Costs and unclear tax laws were cited by 43% and 9% of participants, respectively. Crypto executives canvassed highlighted the cost of regulatory compliance when reached during the interview process. </p> <p>"We've just had to spend an unreasonable amount of money on legal counsel and fees for our lawyers, which I mean, we've fortunately been in a position to do because we've been very well funded, but certainly it’s not the case for very many early stage projects," MacLane Wilkison, co-founder &amp; CEO of NuCypher, told The Block.</p> <p>Unsurprisingly, the vast majority of companies said they wanted to see more clarity on the regulation front. </p> <p>"Regulatory clarity and reduced fragmentation would create a friendlier environment for crypto companies in the U.S," said Jasmine Shergill, director of regulatory affairs (USA) for eToro.</p> <p>For more insights into the state of employment and business sentiment across the industry, check out the <a href="https://www.theblockcrypto.com/post/53685/research-report-employment-trends-in-the-digital-asset-industry-commissioned-by-the-blockchain-association?utm_source=hootsuite&amp;utm_medium=twitter&amp;utm_term=Events&amp;utm_content=Register&amp;utm_campaign=FATF">Digital Asset Human Capital Trends Report</a>.</p>