SEC Launches Nationwide Crypto Road Tour to Shape Regulation

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is broadening its dialogue with the cryptocurrency sector through a nationwide series of in-person roundtables, beginning in Berkeley, California, on August 4, 2025. The initiative, dubbed “Crypto on the Road,” is intended to bring regulatory discussions to local innovation hubs and ensure that early-stage startups—particularly those with fewer than ten employees and less than two years of operations—are included in shaping the future of digital asset regulation [1].

Led by SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce and the Crypto Task Force, the tour will run through December 5 and include stops in major cities such as Boston, Dallas, Chicago, New York City, Irvine, Cleveland, Scottsdale, and Ann Arbor. These cities represent a cross-section of the country’s growing blockchain ecosystems, and the SEC aims to collect insights from smart contract developers, tokenization teams, and early-stage consumer applications [2].

The initiative builds on the SEC’s earlier roundtable discussions in Washington, D.C., where participants highlighted the urgent need for regulatory clarity. While there were diverging opinions on how best to implement such clarity, there was a shared understanding of the challenges posed by token classification and the application of existing securities laws to decentralized systems [1].

By engaging with a broader range of stakeholders—including those who may not have had the resources to participate in previous D.C.-based events—the SEC aims to craft a regulatory framework that is both comprehensive and flexible. The agency emphasized the importance of gathering a wide spectrum of perspectives before finalizing any policy that could significantly impact the industry [2].

Participants can apply to attend by emailing [email protected], providing their city of interest, names, and a brief project description. The SEC plans to publicly list participating projects to promote transparency and encourage broader industry engagement [1].

The “Crypto on the Road” initiative is part of the broader “Project Crypto” effort, which the SEC launched to better understand the digital asset landscape and develop a regulatory approach that supports innovation while safeguarding investors [3].

Sources:

[1] SEC takes crypto roundtables nationwide, opens with Aug. 4 stop in Berkeley, (https://cryptoslate.com/sec-takes-crypto-roundtables-nationwide-opens-with-aug-4-stop-in-berkeley/)

[2] SEC Takes Crypto Policy Discussions Nationwide with New Roundtable Tour, (https://coindoo.com/sec-takes-crypto-policy-discussions-nationwide-with-new-roundtable-tour/)

[3] SEC Launches Nationwide Crypto Roundtables to Shape Digital Asset Regulation, (https://www.ainvest.com/news/sec-launches-nationwide-crypto-roundtables-shape-digital-asset-regulation-2508/)