SEC Chair Paul Atkins said the agency’s 2026 Regulatory Agenda will focus on crypto rulemaking, tokenized securities, public market reforms, and broader access to private markets.
The agenda includes plans to clarify rules for crypto capital raising, digital asset custody, and onchain trading of tokenized securities. Atkins said the work supports President Donald Trump’s goal of making the United States the world’s leading crypto market.
The SEC is also preparing a crypto rule proposal known as “Regulation Crypto,” which could arrive as soon as this month. The proposal is expected to provide temporary exemptions and clearer rules for some crypto businesses and issuers.
SEC Plans Crypto Rulemaking Push
Atkins said the SEC is working to create clearer rules for crypto firms that raise capital, custody digital assets, and trade tokenized securities onchain. The agency is also preparing rules linked to crypto market structure and asset custody.
He said, “To deliver on President Trump’s goal to ensure that the United States is the crypto capital of the world, we are embracing innovation to bring more products onshore.”
Atkins also said the SEC will continue enforcement against firms and individuals that break securities laws. His statement tied crypto rulemaking to investor protection and capital formation.
The agenda marks one of the agency’s clearest crypto policy pushes under Atkins. The SEC has already issued staff statements and guidance, but formal rules carry more legal weight and are harder for later agency leaders to change.
Regulation Crypto Could Come This Month
The updated agenda lists “Regulation Crypto” for July. The proposal remains under review at the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.
The rule is expected to offer temporary registration exemptions for certain crypto activities. It may also allow limited fundraising and create a safe harbor for issuers reducing managerial control over a digital asset project.
Atkins first described parts of the idea in March, saying the proposal would arrive in the coming weeks. The timeline moved more slowly than expected, but the July agenda places it back near the top of the SEC’s rulemaking list.
The rule would be one of the first major crypto-specific proposals under Atkins. Its final shape will depend on the proposal text, public comments, and later SEC approval.
Tokenized Securities and Custody in Focus
The SEC also plans to provide more clarity on how market participants can custody and trade tokenized securities onchain. Tokenized securities are traditional financial assets represented on blockchain networks.
The agency’s focus on custody is important for broker-dealers, exchanges, investment advisers, and digital asset platforms. Clear custody rules may affect how firms hold client assets and manage blockchain-based securities.
The SEC is also working on crypto market structure rules while Congress continues debating the CLARITY Act. That bill remains stalled in the Senate with no floor vote scheduled, with odds dropping from a 75% chance of approval last month to 47% today.
Source: Polymarket
If Congress delays broader legislation, SEC rulemaking may become a key path for near-term crypto regulation. However, agency rules cannot replace every part of a full market structure law.
SEC Targets IPO and Private Market Reforms
Beyond crypto, Atkins said the SEC wants to revive public markets by changing disclosure rules and reducing compliance costs. He framed the plan around making IPOs more attractive for companies.
He said, “Every IPO is an invitation to workers and savers to participate in the prosperity of the next generation of American enterprise.”
The agenda also includes proposals to expand retail investor access to private markets. Atkins said private market access should not be limited to wealthy investors, but safeguards would remain part of any proposal.
The SEC is also reviewing possible reforms for asset-backed securities registration and disclosure. Those changes are aimed at making registered securitizations more efficient while keeping investor protections in place.
