Paul Atkins Pledges Framework to End Legal Uncertainty in Crypto Sector

TLDR

• Paul Atkins emphasized the need for clear and predictable regulations to support innovation in the crypto space.
• He announced that the SEC will stop selective enforcement and instead focus on creating clear rules for the industry.
• Atkins stated that most crypto tokens should not be classified as securities and criticized the SEC’s past approach.
• The SEC’s Project Crypto initiative aims to modernize regulations for digital platforms offering trading, lending, and staking.
• Atkins highlighted the importance of international cooperation between the U.S. and Europe for digital asset regulation.

Paul Atkins, Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), emphasized the need for clear rules in the cryptocurrency space during his keynote speech at the OECD’s inaugural Roundtable on Global Financial Markets in Paris. Atkins stressed the importance of creating an environment that fosters innovation while also lowering obstacles for entrepreneurs raising capital on-chain. His call for predictable regulations reflects the SEC’s shift toward supporting digital assets and blockchain technology.

Paul Atkins Pledges Framework To Ease Legal Doubts Regarding Crypto

Paul Atkins announced that the SEC will no longer rely on selective enforcement of regulations but instead focus on creating clear and predictable rules for the cryptocurrency industry. He noted that such an approach will remove legal uncertainties, allowing entrepreneurs to raise capital more freely.

He added that the SEC’s previous approach had forced many crypto firms to allocate more resources to legal defenses rather than focusing on business development.

Atkins also clarified that the majority of crypto tokens do not qualify as securities, challenging past SEC positions on this issue. He emphasized that the over-regulation of the crypto space had pushed innovation and jobs abroad. In response to these concerns, Atkins revealed that the SEC’s Project Crypto initiative seeks to modernize regulations and streamline the regulatory framework for digital platforms. This initiative would allow crypto companies to offer trading, lending, and staking services under a unified set of rules.

Atkins Stresses Global Cooperation and Technology’s Role in Future Finance

In his speech, Paul Atkins highlighted the importance of international cooperation, particularly between the U.S. and the European Union, to create a unified global framework for digital assets. He praised the European Union for adopting the MiCA framework for digital assets, calling it a positive step forward. Atkins also urged for deeper collaboration between the U.S. and Europe to support the growth of digital markets.

Atkins also discussed the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the future of finance. He referred to the rise of “agentic finance,” where autonomous AI systems execute trades and manage risks faster than humans.

He called on regulators not to hinder these innovations, as they hold immense potential to reshape global financial markets.

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