SEC Chair Atkins Launches Project Crypto Framework on June 30, Pledges Clarity on Token Securities Status Before Launch

According to SEC Chair Paul Atkins, speaking on June 30 at the Economic Club of New York, the SEC launched Project Crypto, a comprehensive framework to provide regulatory clarity on digital assets. Under the initiative, token issuers will be able to determine before launch whether a digital asset is classified as a security under SEC jurisdiction.

The SEC has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to align regulatory definitions and clarify oversight responsibilities for digital assets. Additionally, the agency is shifting away from enforcement-driven regulation, focusing future actions on fraud, market manipulation, and investor harm rather than using enforcement actions as a primary regulatory tool.