SEC launches “Project Crypto”—US Powers Toward Global Crypto Capital

The SEC has ignited a new era—Project Crypto. The US is making a bold claim: become the crypto capital of the world. Paul S. Atkins announced the plan in Washington, aligning with President Trump’s vision .

Regulatory pulse shifts fast. “Project Crypto” aims to bring new digital finance rules. Atkins says, “America will not watch from the sidelines—we will lead.” The agency will overhaul securities regulations, moving markets from off-chain to on-chain systems .

Disrupting Wall Street: Tech Meets Tradition

Markets have always evolved. From paper deals under the buttonwood tree to digital ledgers, each leap changes the game. Atkins recounts the “paperwork crisis,” when Wall Street nearly buckled under paper stock certs . Then, clearing went digital. Now the blockchain beckons.

Atkins reveals: Project Crypto will modernize SEC rules. The focus—clear regulations for crypto asset trading and custody. The goal: attract global and US-based crypto projects back home .

The SEC will drop old rules that discouraged crypto growth. Bright-line rules will tell whether a crypto asset is a security, a commodity, or a collectible. “We will give entrepreneurs the clarity they need,” Atkins paraphrases .

Onshoring Risk and Reward: Crypto Back to US Soil

Project Crypto will abolish the need for confusing offshore structures. The SEC will foster a market where Americans can invest in and launch digital assets locally .

Clear distinctions are coming. Digital collectibles, payment tokens, and stablecoins will slot into tailored rules. Projects that meet the new guidelines can avoid legal confusion and participate in US capital markets .

New rules will also rethink crypto asset custody. Both self-custody wallets and SEC-registered custodians will see updated guidance. The agency will enable “choice among custodians,” Atkins says, so investors and firms have options .

The plan supports “super-apps”—platforms offering a full suite of crypto, stock, and finance products under one license. Firms can list both securities and non-securities, boosting competition. Atkins says, “Markets should not be forced to fit outdated rules” .

The agency targets a licensing structure to help crypto companies skip duplicative red tape. Banks enjoy exemptions, so should innovators. Work proceeds so that non-security and security crypto assets can trade side by side on regulated US platforms .

Decentralized finance edges closer to the mainstream. Rules will shift to embrace automation through on-chain software. Atkins notes: “Both centralized and decentralized systems will have a place” . On-chain trading, tokenized securities, and permissionless tools are all on the table.

“Commercial viability comes first,” Atkins affirms. The SEC will soon consider an innovation exemption. Businesses can launch new models straightaway, then meet principle-based rules tailored for today’s tech .

America sets the pace for the “Golden Age” of digital finance. As Project Crypto kicks off, the market watches for new proposals and policy moves.