The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is set to begin work on a new formal rule called “Regulation Crypto” that could create a clearer path for some digital asset offerings.
The SEC has scheduled an August 14 meeting to consider opening the proposal for public comment. The rule, backed by SEC Chairman Paul Atkins, is expected to help crypto companies raise money without triggering full SEC registration requirements and could also provide a clearer way for projects to move outside the agency’s oversight when appropriate.
The SEC announced the meeting late Monday, giving unusually short notice even though the proposal had been on the agency’s agenda for some time. The three-member commission, which currently consists entirely of Republicans, will consider starting the formal rulemaking process.
🚨NEW: The @SECGov will hold an open meeting on Friday at 10AM ET to consider whether to issue a release proposing new rules to create a tailored offering regime for certain investment contracts involving crypto assets. pic.twitter.com/OOIp9MZeJM
— Eleanor Terrett (@EleanorTerrett) August 11, 2026
The proposal is described as a “tailored offering regime for certain investment contracts”. In simple terms, it could give some crypto businesses a more defined route to legally raise capital while avoiding some of the uncertainty that has surrounded digital asset offerings in the United States.
The timing is significant. The SEC’s move comes just days after the U.S. Senate failed to begin key votes on the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, a bill that was intended to establish a broader legal framework for crypto market regulation.
Analysts see the SEC’s action as an important step in filling part of that regulatory gap. TD Cowen analyst Jaret Seiberg said in a client note that this could be the first of several SEC rulemakings aimed at providing greater certainty for crypto assets after Congress failed to advance the CLARITY Act before the August recess.
Under the proposed framework, crypto companies could potentially raise capital for projects without immediately falling under the SEC’s full registration requirements. The proposal is also expected to include an exit route for companies that are no longer actively managing or controlling the underlying projects.
That would represent a significant change from the SEC’s recent approach. So far, the agency and Atkins have relied heavily on policy statements and other guidance to explain how existing securities rules may apply to digital assets. While those statements can offer useful direction, they are easier to change or withdraw than formal regulations.
A formal rulemaking would therefore carry more weight and could provide businesses with greater long-term certainty. However, crypto companies should not expect the new rules to arrive immediately. The proposal will first go through a public comment period, which typically lasts two to three months, followed by possible revisions before a final rule can be adopted.
Regulation Crypto would be another major step in Atkins’ broader effort to create a more supportive regulatory environment for the U.S. digital asset industry. The SEC has also worked with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission on a proposed crypto asset taxonomy aimed at clarifying how different digital assets should be classified and which regulator should oversee them.
The SEC is also working on its approach to tokenised securities, another area Atkins has repeatedly highlighted as an important part of the agency’s crypto agenda.
Atkins has continued to argue that Congress should ultimately establish clear legal guardrails for the crypto industry. While lawmakers failed to move the CLARITY Act before the August recess, the legislation could still return for consideration next month.
Source: sec.gov
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