Atkins says agency can move ahead without Congress as 2026 agenda takes shape
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission is prpeparing to introduce an innovation exemption for emerging crypto projects, according to remarks from SEC Chair Paul Atkins on Tuesday. Speaking from the New York Stock Exchange, Atkins said the agency has “enough authority to drive forward” even as Congress continues debating broader market structure reforms.
Innovation exemption expected within weeks
Atkins said the exemption — designed to give early-stage digital asset initiatives room to develop while remaining in compliance — could be unveiled within the next month. Although the recent government shutdown slowed internal operations, he noted that work on crypto-focused rulemaking continued throughout the interruption.
Regulators have been providing technical input to lawmakers drafting a federal market structure bill, but Atkins suggested the agency is not waiting on Capitol Hill to act. “The SEC is trying to give developers clarity now, instead of asking them to wait for a final bill,”
Enforcement posture continues to shift
Since taking office in April, Atkins has pushed to narrow the use of enforcement actions in the crypto sector, favoring targeted no-action relief for certain decentralized network models. The approach broadly aligns with White House priorities that encourage domestic blockchain development while tightening risk controls.
A market structure bill is still expected to move forward in the Senate, with committee leaders aiming for a December markup. regulatory researccher said the emerging framework “could help define where the SEC’s role begins and ends, but the agency appears determined to fill gaps in the meantime.”
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