SEC and CFTC sign memorandum on crypto market rules, Atkins says

SEC Chair Atkins said the agreement aims to replace a regulatory “no-man’s-land” with clearer oversight as U.S. market regulators seek a framework for innovation.

Summary

The SEC and CFTC (U.S. derivatives regulator) have signed what SEC Chair Atkins called a historic memorandum aimed at bringing clearer rules to the market. Atkins said the effort is “not a favor to industry” but a step toward creating “clear rules of the road applied without preference,” adding that the agreement would replace a regulatory “no-man’s-land” with “fertile new ground for innovation.” The remarks frame the move as an attempt to reduce jurisdictional ambiguity between the two agencies, an issue that has long shaped oversight of digital assets and related markets.

Terms & Concepts
  • CFTC: U.S. regulator for derivatives markets
  • memorandum: Formal agreement outlining cooperation or understanding
  • digital assets: Blockchain-based tokens and related instruments