SEC CHAIRMAN ATKINS: “YOU HAVEN’T SEEN ANYTHING YET”
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Washington D.C. Summit and Atkins’ Crypto Vision
At a recent blockchain policy summit in Washington D.C., Paul Atkins, Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), stated that “you haven’t seen anything yet in crypto,” targeting 2026, and delivered some striking messages. His statements created strong positive expectations among investors. Referring to the initiatives undertaken throughout 2025 as “seeds planted to sprout and grow,” he emphasized their determination in this regard and stated that they would begin to see concrete results in 2026.
The SEC has already begun taking steps to bring clarity to crypto assets. Atkins also recalled that a framework aimed at determining the securities status of these assets in relation to token classification was presented in November and that an initiative called “Project Crypto” is being carried out, which aims to fundamentally review the regulation of digital assets. Atkins’ statements represent a significantly different approach compared to the previous administration of the agency.
Indeed, during the tenure of former SEC Chairman Gary Gensler, the SEC filed lawsuits against major companies, stating that it considered many crypto tokens to be securities, which led to intense criticism on the grounds that it increased uncertainty in the sector. However, since taking office, Atkins has prioritized regulatory clarity, adopting a market-friendly approach and continuing to project a strong image of support for the market.
In the political arena, the fact that Donald Trump is the US President and that the Trump administration is acting in line with positive policies towards the crypto industry is keeping positive market expectations alive. As you may recall, during his election campaign, Trump expressed his support for the crypto sector, stating that he would “make fundamental changes in the sector after being elected.” At this point, Atkins’ statements and the progress made by the sector in terms of regulation and legislation are a natural result of this alignment.
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Innovation Exemption and a New Era in Regulation
One of the SEC’s planned major developments is to introduce a new regulatory exemption for the sector called “innovation exemption.” Atkins stated in his speech at the summit that the first topic on their agenda for 2026 would be innovation exemption. This exemption is planned to be implemented in January. Under this regulation, crypto and fintech projects will be able to bring products to market with much lighter regulatory obligations, subject to certain limitations and conditions. In short, it will allow new tokens and products to be issued without the need for a detailed SEC registration. Amid intense discussions about relatively strict regulations and compliance expectations, industry representatives view this exemption as a tremendous opportunity for crypto issuers.
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Token Classification and Project Crypto Reform
Another topic is “token classification.” Atkins mentioned in his speech that they are working on a comprehensive classification and a regulation that will allow for the separation of digital assets that qualify as securities from those that qualify as commodities. This regulation will make it more predictable which tokens are securities, subject to SEC oversight, and which are commodities, subject to CFTC oversight. You can review the proposed draft classification in the table below.
| Category | Definition | Examples / Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Commodities | Decentralized digital assets primarily used as a store of value or means of transfer | Commodity-like digital assets with no issuer, such as Bitcoin |
| Digital Collectibles | Assets used for collection, art, or unique digital ownership purposes | NFTs, digital artworks, rare in-game assets |
| Digital Utility Tokens | Tokens that provide access to a service, product, or network on a platform | Platform utility tokens, network fees, membership or access tokens |
| Tokenized Securities | Digital assets representing traditional financial instruments or investment contracts | Tokenized shares, bonds, fund units, revenue-sharing assets |
In this context, even if a token is classified as a security at the time of issuance, it may later transition to commodity status when it achieves a decentralized structure and its technology is implemented.
Project Crypto is actually the general name for the SEC’s reform movement. At the center of this reform is US President Trump. Under the project, the SEC plans to adapt its current securities legislation to digital assets, introducing special exemptions and new transparency requirements, while the “Regulation Crypto” package is also part of these reform efforts. In short, we can say that the environment of uncertainty is progressing with rapid but solid steps.
So, how will markets be affected by these developments?
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Market Impacts and Potential Scenarios for Investors
As the regulatory framework becomes clearer, the perception of uncertainty that has persisted for years will diminish and investor confidence will increase. With the innovation exemption, crypto startups will be able to bring their products to market quickly without encountering heavy bureaucratic obstacles; this will bring more innovation to the sector and support the market’s dynamism. The US offering such an accelerated launch opportunity for the first time could enable other countries to speed up the process as well, potentially triggering significant movement on a global scale. Although there is institutional interest under current conditions, institutions have not yet fully converged on a common ground; even Vanguard is taking a relatively cautious stance. However, as the regulatory framework becomes clearer, institutional interest is expected to increase, and liquidity is expected to strengthen in parallel.
Nevertheless, it is advisable to closely monitor the steps to be taken before investing. Indeed, the legal steps taken by Congress, particularly regarding token classification and changes to market structure, will be decisive. Therefore, we are talking about a process that will take time, and potential disagreements and uncertainties in Congress could increase volatility in the market. For this reason, although Atkins’ statements are exciting the market, the possibility of a painful congressional process should not be overlooked.
In the short term, these statements may support pricing through expectations, but in the medium term, the actual legislative texts emerging from Congress will be the main determinant. Therefore, the market may continue to move forward on a sensitive ground to news flow, where sharp fluctuations may occur from time to time.
Disclaimer
The information, comments, and evaluations provided herein are for informational purposes only and do not constitute investment advice. Investment advisory services are offered on an individual basis by authorized institutions, taking into account the risk and return preferences of investors. The content presented may not be suitable for your financial situation or investment objectives. Any investment decisions made based solely on this information are at your own risk and may not result in outcomes aligned with your expectations.
