The SEC just put crypto on its 2026 rulebook

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has made crypto a headline item in its 2026 regulatory agenda. @SECPaulSAtkins announced the agenda on July 7, putting digital assets front and center before any other specific rulemaking priority.

What the Agenda Actually Says

In his statement, Atkins framed the push in direct terms: the SEC is working to create clear rules for raising capital with crypto assets and to clarify how market participants can custody and trade tokenized securities onchain. The goal, he said, is to deliver on President Trump's objective of making the U.S. "the crypto capital of the world."

The centerpiece of the new agenda is a proposal known as "Regulation Crypto," which the SEC has slated for as early as this month. If finalized, it would be the first major crypto-specific rulemaking under Atkins' leadership. The proposal would establish temporary exemptions from securities registration for developers launching certain crypto investment contracts, allow a defined amount of fundraising, and create a safe harbor for token issuers working toward decentralization.

Importantly, staff guidance and no-action letters issued over the past year do not carry the same legal weight as a formal rule. A codified rule is far harder to reverse when leadership at the agency changes, giving industry participants a more durable foundation to build on.

A Sharp Break from the Gensler Era

The agenda marks a significant departure from the approach taken under former Chair Gary Gensler, when the agency pursued enforcement actions against several major crypto firms and maintained that many cryptocurrencies qualified as securities. Many of those cases have since been dropped.

Beyond the headline crypto item, the 2026 agenda also includes proposed changes to broker and exchange rules, custody standards for digital assets, and amendments to market structure rules that could allow blockchain-based trading systems to operate alongside traditional exchanges. The SEC is also coordinating with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to reduce regulatory overlap across digital asset markets.

For crypto businesses that have long operated in a grey area, the formal rulemaking process represents the clearest signal yet that the regulatory environment in the U.S. is shifting in a meaningful and lasting way.

Sources:
CoinDesk: SEC to Propose Crypto Rule as Soon as This Month
The Block: SEC Plans Crypto Rule Changes for Exchanges and Broker Dealers
The Crypto Times: SEC Chair Paul Atkins Unveils 2026 Agenda