SEC, CFTC Strike Coordination Pact as Project Crypto Targets Updated Rules for Onchain Markets

SEC Chair Paul S. Atkins said the agency is pressing ahead with "Project Crypto," an initiative aimed at modernizing U.S. securities rules for digital assets and markets moving onchain, while tightening coordination with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Speaking June 30, 2026, at The Economic Club of New York, Atkins said the SEC has spent the past year updating its regulatory framework for digital assets in support of President Donald Trump's goal of making the United States the "crypto capital of the world." He said the SEC has also issued guidance intended to help digital asset issuers assess whether a token may fall under securities laws before proceeding. Atkins argued that regulatory certainty is necessary for markets to function and framed clearer standards as a prerequisite for consistent oversight rather than a benefit for the industry. On interagency cooperation, Atkins said the SEC and the CFTC have signed a memorandum of understanding to improve regulatory coordination and reduce oversight gaps. He described the pact as a framework for aligning key definitions across the two regulators and said it is intended to replace a "regulatory gap" with an approach that supports innovation. Atkins also pointed to changes the SEC is making to the IPO process. He said the agency has begun removing obstacles that have discouraged companies from going public and is emphasizing materiality as the guiding principle in reviewing public-market requirements. The goal, he said, is to make a public listing a practical option for growing businesses rather than a last resort.