SEC Schedules Urgent Crypto Meeting to Clarify Regulations
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U.S. SEC Chairman Paul Atkins has called an agency meeting this month under the 2026 Regulatory Agenda to propose three crypto-focused rules: exemptions and safe harbors for fundraising and token launches (ICOs, staking, airdrops), revamped exchange and broker-dealer/ATS requirements (recordkeeping, minimum liquid capital, insolvency rules), and institutional on-chain custody rules to legalize trading of real-world assets (RWAs). The SEC will publish draft rules for public comment before finalizing later this year, and the agenda — which also covers token reclassification and DeFi front-end developer exemptions — aligns with White House support and concurrent Congressional review of the CLARITY Act, improving regulatory clarity for crypto, DeFi, CEX/DEX operations, custody and adoption.
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The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has called for an agency meeting this month to develop regulatory frameworks for the cryptocurrency industry.
The meeting will be led by the SEC Chairman Paul Atkins, who concurrently released the “Statement on the 2026 Regulatory Agenda”. The latter affirms that the SEC is working with the current administration to make the US “the crypto capital of the world.”
SEC crypto meeting agenda
As for the upcoming meeting, the agency notes that it will focus on three newly proposed rules:
The first is exemptions and “safe harbors”, which will define legal pathways for companies to conduct cryptocurrency-based fundraising. This will also provide guidelines regarding Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs), staking rewards, and airdrops.
The second rule focuses on overhauls of crypto exchanges and broker-dealers, including alternative trading systems (ATS) such as Securitize Markets. Here, the SEC intends to modify recordkeeping requirements and establish minimum liquid capital requirements and insolvency rules.
The third rule will encompass institutional on-chain custody of digital assets. This will legalize the trading of real-world assets (RWAs) under compliant conditions.
In addition to the above trifecta, the meeting will discuss how businesses can transition tokens from the “security” category once their underlying networks become sufficiently decentralized.
Furthermore, the agency seeks to legalize front-end development for decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms. Coders will be exempted from registering as broker-dealers, provided they do not execute trades on the platforms they build.
What next?
The latest development aligns with US President Donald Trump’s promise to support the crypto industry. Even more, the meeting will take place in the same month Congress is scheduled to meet to consider the crypto-focused CLARITY Act.
Notably, the SEC will first publish a draft of the rules following the meeting, before finalizing them later this year. This will pave the way for public commentary from crypto firms, investors, and lawyers, enabling any necessary changes to be made before formalization.
