The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is set to reassess its approach to crypto regulation through a series of public roundtables under the initiative “Spring Sprint Toward Crypto Clarity.”
The first session, titled “How We Got Here and How We Get Out – Defining Security Status,” is scheduled for March 21 at the SEC headquarters in Washington, D.C. The event will be open to the public and live-streamed on SEC.gov.
The roundtable will focus on one of the most contentious issues in crypto regulation: whether cryptocurrencies should be classified as securities or commodities. The discussion will feature legal and fintech experts, including Miles Jennings, General Counsel at Andreessen Horowitz’s crypto division; Collins Belton, Managing Partner at Brookwood P.C.; and Dr. Chris Brummer from Georgetown Law.
SEC Commissioner Hester M. Peirce, who is leading the Crypto Task Force, emphasized the importance of public input.
“The roundtables are a key part of our engagement with the public,” she said. “I look forward to drawing on their expertise to shape a workable regulatory framework for crypto.”
The Crypto Task Force, launched on January 21 by Acting SEC Chairman Mark T. Uyeda, aims to clarify regulatory boundaries, provide viable registration paths, and refine disclosure requirements for digital assets.
The task force is also expected to evaluate enforcement priorities following a notable shift in SEC actions. Under former Chair Gary Gensler, the SEC pursued 125 enforcement actions against crypto firms. However, according to data from Cornerstone Research, enforcement declined by 30% in Gensler’s final year.
Industry advocates have long argued that digital assets should be subject to the jurisdiction of the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), which has historically taken a more lenient enforcement approach.
The CFTC initiated 58 enforcement actions last year, significantly fewer than the SEC. Earlier this month, the CFTC hosted its first-ever Crypto CEO Forum, signaling potential plans to pilot a crypto program focused on tokenized non-cash collateral.
The SEC’s shift in approach follows a recent series of dropped lawsuits and investigations into major crypto firms, including Coinbase, OpenSea, Uniswap Labs, Robinhood, and Kraken. The decision to scale back enforcement coincides with increasing industry pressure and shifting regulatory dynamics.
The upcoming roundtables are expected to shape the future of U.S. crypto regulation. The SEC will provide further details on the agenda and participants on the Crypto Task Force’s webpage in the coming days. Public engagement will be a crucial component of the discussions, with attendees able to submit feedback and request meetings with the task force.
The March 21 event will run from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. In-person attendance will be limited due to security protocols, but the discussion will be recorded and made available on the SEC’s website. Industry observers will closely monitor the event for signals on the agency’s regulatory trajectory.
