# SEC Chairman announces Project Crypto priorities for onchain securities markets

> Chairman Atkins publicly directed SEC staff toward a broad Project Crypto agenda covering asset classification, issuance exemptions, tokenized securities, custody, self-custodial software, integrated intermediaries, and onchain markets.

- URL: https://riadefi.com/regulation/2025-07-31-sec-chair-project-crypto-launch-speech/
- Posture: Official signal · nonbinding
- Authorities: Chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
- Event date: 2025-07-31
- Version: 1, published 2026-08-07 (first published 2026-08-07)
- Advisor-relevant: no

This entry records an official signal, such as a speech or a statement. It does not change the law.

## What changed

Chairman Atkins publicly directed SEC staff toward a broad Project Crypto agenda covering asset classification, issuance exemptions, tokenized securities, custody, self-custodial software, integrated intermediaries, and onchain markets. The speech states the Chairman’s direction and views; it is not a Commission rule or exemption.

## Who it affects

- SEC registrants and prospective registrants
- Advisers, funds, broker-dealers, custodians, trading venues, software providers, and issuers

## What is still open

- Which initiatives will receive Commission votes or staff relief
- Conditions, investor protections, and timing for proposed exemptions or rule changes

## What it means for an advisor

- Track Project Crypto outputs matter by matter and preserve existing compliance controls meanwhile
- Do not present the Chairman’s agenda as current legal authorization for self-custody, DeFi, or integrated services

## Previous interpretation

The new Chair had not yet set out a comprehensive public crypto work program at this level of specificity.

## Sources

1. [American Leadership in the Digital Finance Revolution](https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/speeches-statements/atkins-digital-finance-revolution-073125) · Chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission · 2025-07-31


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Published by Ketju Research on RIADeFi (https://riadefi.com). Educational research for financial professionals; not investment, legal, tax, or compliance advice.