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SEC Chair Paul Atkins Says Agency Is Overhauling Crypto Rules With Project Crypto

SEC Chair Paul Atkins Says Agency Is Overhauling Crypto Rules With Project Crypto

Atkins said the SEC and CFTC are advancing Project Crypto for onchain financial markets, while new SEC classification guidance and a planned Innovation Exemption target tokenized securities.

Fact Check
Primary SEC.gov sources confirm each element of the claim: Atkins launched Project Crypto (sec.gov launch page, July 31 2025 speech); it became a joint SEC-CFTC initiative (confirmed in the Feb 18, 2026 ETHDenver remarks and Mofo alert from Jan 30, 2026); new joint classification guidance was issued (Ropes & Gray alert on the March 17, 2026 joint guidance); and an Innovation Exemption is planned (Atkins' July 31, 2025 SEC speech explicitly proposes an innovation exemption). The claim accurately summarizes Atkins' public statements.
Summary

SEC Chair Paul Atkins said the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission are advancing Project Crypto to build a regulatory framework for onchain financial markets. Speaking on May 30 at the 2026 Reagan National Economic Forum, Atkins said the SEC has issued digital asset classification guidance and is developing an Innovation Exemption for tokenized securities. The remarks add detail to the agency’s broader crypto rule overhaul, which Atkins has said is aimed at clarifying how digital assets are categorized and regulated in U.S. markets.

Terms & Concepts
  • Onchain financial markets: Financial markets that operate using blockchain-based infrastructure for issuing, trading, or settling assets directly onchain.
  • Tokenized securities: Traditional securities such as stocks or bonds represented on a blockchain, allowing digital transfer and programmable features under securities rules.
  • Digital asset classification: The regulatory process of determining how a crypto asset should be categorized, including whether securities or commodities rules apply.