SEC Chair Advocates Crypto Regulatory Overhaul, Pledges End to ’Regulation by Enforcement’

Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Paul Atkins has called for a comprehensive modernization of U.S. crypto asset policy, outlining a three-pronged strategy to revamp regulations governing issuance, custody, and trading. The announcement came during his keynote at the SEC Crypto Task Force’s May 12 roundtable, which focused on tokenization’s transformative potential for capital markets.

Atkins drew parallels between blockchain-based securities and the music industry’s digital revolution, suggesting on-chain assets could redefine capital markets as profoundly as MP3s reshaped audio distribution. The SEC’s immediate priority will be developing a tailored regulatory framework for digital assets, marking a departure from years of unpredictable enforcement actions.