Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Paul Atkins is now advancing on “Project Crypto,” a sweeping regulatory initiative to modernize securities rules and facilitate markets moving onchain. Responding to President Trump’s call to make America the “Crypto Capital of the World,” Atkins said the SEC has “moved purposefully” over the past year to update its approach to digital assets, with new frameworks expected through Q3 2026.
What Project Crypto includes
Atkins called the plan a way of taking “historic steps to modernize our rules and regulations to facilitate markets’ moving onchain.” Basically, the SEC wants to give crypto teams and founders a better heads-up on whether their tokens count as securities before they actually go live.
Atkins also stressed that this project is not about giving anyone special treatment, but about setting up clear, consistent rules. He pointed out that “transparent guidelines are a must if we want these markets to function properly.”
The SEC is also working hand in hand with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on a joint framework for classifying tokens that do not fall under securities laws, with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) expected soon.
The bottom line here is that they are trying to move away from the current “scattered and confusing regulatory landscape” and replace it with a more organized, unified approach.
Trump’s dream
President Trump, in one of his latest interviews this week, talked about different topics, but in particular, he mentioned crypto, specifically saying that “crypto is a big deal,” adding that “we need to be in the top in AI, and over China.” For Trump, the way he sees the crypto market is that if the U.S. is not going to do it, China (or somebody else) will do it. He also emphazised on hot the industry has grown. Also mentioning that, “in anything we (or the U.S.) do, I wanna be the number one. We are number one in crypto and also are number one in artificial Intelligence (AI).”
What This Means for Web3
The regulatory program includes updates to market structure rules, including Regulation National Market System (NMS), to accommodate blockchain-based trading systems alongside traditional exchanges by Q3 2026. Updated custody standards for tokenized securities could determine whether banks can hold these assets for clients, while SEC-CFTC coordination is expected to establish a clearer regulatory structure for crypto derivatives.
Atkins said the initiative is intended to provide regulatory clarity for entrepreneurs and established financial institutions alike.
