SEC's Crypto Clarity Sprint: Defining Digital Assets

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced a series of discussions, dubbed "Spring Sprint Toward Crypto Clarity," to address the regulatory challenges faced by the crypto industry. The first event, a roundtable on March 21, will focus on the classification of digital assets as securities.

The SEC's Crypto task Force, established in January 2025 under Acting Chair Mark Uyeda, aims to ease regulatory restrictions on cryptocurrencies. The task force, led by Hester Peirce, will consult the public to create official regulatory guidelines and establish a practical regulatory regime for cryptocurrency.

The roundtable, titled "How We Arrived and How We Escape — Defining Security Status," will be the initial part of a series focused on developing crypto regulations. The event will bring together SEC officials, legal experts, and industry leaders to debate the classification of digital assets as securities.

In addition to the roundtable announcement, the SEC revealed the 14-member team leading the Crypto Task Force. The group includes legal and policy professionals, with Michael Selig appointed as chief counsel. Selig, previously a lawyer at Willkie Farr & Gallagher, advised crypto, nft, and stablecoin firms and handled enforcement cases before the SEC and CFTC.

Former CFTC Chair Chris Giancarlo, known as "Crypto Dad," commented on Selig's appointment, stating he was "proud and excited for my protégé." Other appointments include Sumeera Younis, former policy counsel to Commissioner Peirce, as operations chief, and Landon Zinda, former policy director at Coin Center, as senior adviser.

Since entering the White House, President Trump has been working to lessen the regulatory burden placed on the crypto industry. He has made one of his central promises to try to make enforcement actions by the SEC less frequent and give clearer industry guidelines. The SEC's withdrawal of its lawsuit against Kraken is part of this change in attitude toward crypto firms, moving away from more aggressive legal action.

The roundtable on March 21 is expected to be a critical discussion, marking the beginning of a clearer approach to crypto regulation in the U.S. The SEC's more sessions are yet to be planned under Spring Sprint Toward Crypto Clarity, which aims to address the central regulatory issues currently faced in the crypto industry.