The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released its upcoming regulatory agenda on Thursday, with Chairman Paul Atkins placing crypto regulation at the center of the agency’s priorities. Atkins, who described the agenda as marking a “new day” for the sector, said the commission is working toward “clear rules of the road for the issuance, custody, and trading of crypto assets.”
The plan includes potential rules on the offer and sale of digital assets, with discussion of possible exemptions and safe harbors, as well as amendments to existing rules that would allow cryptocurrencies to be traded on national securities exchanges and alternative trading systems (ATS). The SEC set April as its target for publishing proposals.
From lawsuits to “Project Crypto”
The approach contrasts with the prior Biden-era SEC, which launched lawsuits against Coinbase, Binance, and other firms. Most of those cases have since been dropped under the Trump administration, which has pledged to position the U.S. as a leader in blockchain innovation.
Atkins, who previously advised crypto firms, has branded the agency’s effort “Project Crypto.” He emphasized that regulation should encourage capital formation and market efficiency while protecting investors.
The agenda comes after a joint statement from the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), affirming that registered platforms can already handle spot crypto trading. Acting CFTC Chair Caroline Pham has described her agency’s effort as a “crypto sprint,” underscoring the rapid pace of regulatory work.
Beyond crypto: other SEC priorities
While crypto leads the agenda, the SEC also flagged plans to:
- Ease compliance burdens for securities firms
- Rethink the consolidated audit trail system for tracking trades
- Review disclosure rules to streamline transparency requirements
