“Crypto’s Time Has Come,” Claims SEC Chair in Keynote Address

SEC Chair Paul Atkins just gave a bombshell speech to the OECD Roundtable on Global Financial Markets in Paris. He claimed that “crypto’s time has come,” detailing his vision of bold policy changes.

A few highlights include firm commitments to ongoing procedures while mentioning new initiatives. In particular, he called attention to raising capital on-chain and allowing integrated “super app” trading platforms.

SEC’s Atkins is Ready For More

Paul Atkins has taken charge of pro-industry regulation since becoming the SEC’s Chair this year, announcing Project Crypto in July.

He’s been making regular contributions, embarking on a new collaboration with the CFTC less than a week ago, but a recent speech in Paris reveals how much more he wants to accomplish:

“New technologies…are now revolutionizing global finance. It seems only fitting, here just steps from Avenue Victor Hugo, to summon his words to our moment: ‘an invasion of armies can be resisted, but not an idea whose time has come.’ Today, ladies and gentlemen, we must admit that crypto’s time has come,” he stated.

Atkins touched on a lot of market factors that he wants the SEC to focus on, including foreign investment, accounting standards, financial materiality, and more. However, he paid the most attention to the crypto industry, making a list of substantial policy commitments.

Continued Support and New Priorities

For one, Atkins affirmed that the SEC is totally aligned with Trump’s war on crypto enforcement. He highlighted the economic damage of overeager regulation, claiming that federal agencies must be careful not to discourage investment.

Atkins further stated his intention to clearly define that most tokens aren’t securities, and listed a few other choice policy goals:

“We must ensure that entrepreneurs can raise capital on-chain without endless legal uncertainty. And we must allow for ‘super-app’ trading platform innovation that increases choice for market participants. Platforms should be able to offer trading, lending, and staking under a single regulatory umbrella,” Atkins added.

To achieve these goals, Atkins claimed that the SEC will continue building new partnerships with fellow regulators, international partners, and more. He didn’t explicitly mention getting feedback from stakeholders in the crypto industry, but this has been a staple of the SEC’s recent pro-crypto initiatives.

The CFTC has recently revealed the extent to which a committed regulator can initiate bold changes to crypto policy under Trump’s administration. Despite all the gains the SEC has accomplished already, Paul Atkins seems ready to keep the momentum going.

This firm commitment could signal powerful new opportunities.