The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission outlined new steps for on-chain financial markets, with SEC Chair Paul S. Atkins saying on June 30, 2026 that the agency is updating digital asset rules through Project Crypto and working more closely with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
Project Crypto targets rule changes for digital asset markets
Speaking at The Economic Club of New York, Atkins said the SEC has spent the past year revising its regulatory framework for digital assets. He tied that work to President Donald Trump’s goal of making the United States the “crypto capital of the world.” The stated purpose of Project Crypto, he said, is to modernize SEC rules so they can better fit markets that are moving on-chain.
Atkins also said the agency has issued guidance that lets digital asset issuers assess whether a token falls under securities laws before acting. In his remarks, he argued that markets need certainty to function. Clear standards, he said, are not a special concession to the industry but a basic requirement for consistent oversight.
New SEC-CFTC memorandum aims to reduce oversight gaps
Atkins then turned to coordination between agencies. He said the SEC and the CFTC have signed a memorandum of understanding, describing it as a framework for aligning important definitions across both regulators. The agreement is also intended to improve coordination between the two agencies.
He said the arrangement replaces what he described as a regulatory gap with a framework that supports innovation. Regulatory clarity remained a central theme throughout the speech. Atkins linked that point directly to Project Crypto and to the SEC’s broader effort to modernize its rulebook.
IPO process also part of the SEC’s reform push
Atkins also used the speech to address public listings. He said the SEC has started removing obstacles that discouraged companies from pursuing public offerings. The agency now uses materiality as its guiding principle when reviewing public market requirements.
According to Atkins, those changes are meant to make becoming a public company a practical option for growing businesses, rather than something considered only at the end of the process. The speech placed on-chain market rules, interagency coordination, and IPO reform within the same policy push.