SEC Chair Paul Atkins Announces 'Project Crypto' to Provide Regulatory Clarity for Digital Assets

SEC Chairman Paul Atkins outlined a new regulatory framework called “Project Crypto” during a speech at the Economic Club of New York. The initiative aims to modernize U.S. securities rules for blockchain‑based markets, giving issuers “historic” clarity on whether a token is a security before launch.

The SEC plans to classify four of five token categories as non‑securities, coordinate oversight with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and shift its enforcement focus toward fraud, market manipulation and investor harm rather than regulation by enforcement. Atkins framed the effort as part of a broader “ACT” strategy to align U.S. markets with President Trump’s goal of making America a crypto capital.