SEC's crypto task force prioritises clarity in 2025

The Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) Crypto Task Force, under the leadership of Commissioner Hester Peirce, is setting a course for regulatory clarity in the digital asset market while encouraging innovation.  

Established in January 2025, the Task Force seeks to provide clear guidelines on applying federal securities laws to the crypto asset market and recommend practical policies to foster innovation and protect investors.  

Commissioner Peirce outlined ten priorities for the Task Force, including determining what makes a cryptocurrency a security versus a commodity and creating a more viable path to registration.  

Other priorities include providing clarity on whether crypto-lending and staking programs are covered by securities laws and deciding which parts of the market fall outside the SEC’s jurisdiction.  

Hester Peirce expressed concerns about setting a regulatory agenda for cryptocurrencies without a Senate-approved chairperson.  

While acting chair Mark Uyeda has been praised for his leadership, the Senate is expected to vote on the nomination of Paul Atkins for the chair position.  

Peirce acknowledged the "legal imprecision and commercial impracticality" of the SEC’s regulation of crypto under former Chair Gary Gensler.  

She stressed that it will take time for the Crypto Task Force to decide what to do with the legacy of enforcement he left behind.  

Peirce's statement clarifies that protecting investors remains the SEC’s primary objective.  

"One of the reasons the U.S. capital markets are so robust, efficient, and effective is that we have rules designed to protect investors and the integrity of the marketplace, and we enforce those rules," Peirce said.  

The SEC is committed to enforcing its anti-fraud authority and will "not tolerate liars, cheaters, and scammers" in the digital assets markets.