Overview
- The Division of Examinations’ fiscal 2026 priorities omit a dedicated crypto section that appeared in recent years.
- Regulatory focus shifts to standards of conduct, asset custody, and new customer information privacy requirements.
- A companion document elevates information security and incident response, explicitly citing ransomware and controls for AI and polymorphic malware.
- The SEC stresses the priorities are not comprehensive, and Chair Paul Atkins says exams should foster constructive dialogue rather than be a “gotcha” exercise.
- Industry watchers, as reported by Reuters, view the reduced crypto emphasis as consistent with President Donald Trump’s friendlier stance toward digital assets.