U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Paul Atkins emphasized that crypto entrepreneurs and investors need clear rules when raising capital onchain.
Speaking at an OECD meeting, Atkins stressed that innovators should not face “endless legal uncertainty” in capital formation. He reiterated his stance that “most crypto tokens are not securities” and announced “Project Crypto,” a plan to modernize market rules and move processes onchain as part of a broader vision to make the U.S. the “crypto capital of the world.”
Atkins criticized the previous administration’s approach, saying it hindered innovation and pushed entrepreneurs abroad. He said the SEC is now adopting a model of minimal but effective regulation to ensure legal clarity for services such as trading, lending, and staking. He also highlighted the work led by Commissioner Hester Pierce in the fields of tokenization and staking as critical for the industry’s future.
The SEC Chair underlined that the ultimate goal is to usher in a “golden age of financial innovation” in the U.S., ensuring that developments from tokenized securities to new asset classes grow under American oversight. On September 29, the SEC and CFTC will meet to discuss steps to bring perpetual contracts and DeFi products back to U.S. markets.
