Overview
- The Division of Examinations’ 2026 agenda omits a dedicated crypto section that appeared in 2024 and 2025.
- Examiners will center reviews on fiduciary duty, standards of conduct, asset custody, customer data privacy, incident response, and AI risk.
- The SEC emphasized the priorities are not exhaustive, allowing crypto-related risks to be examined under custody, AML, cybersecurity, and complex product reviews.
- Chair Paul S. Atkins said examinations should not be a “gotcha” exercise and are intended to support constructive dialogue with firms.
- Analysts view the shift as aligning with the Trump administration’s friendlier posture and new SEC leadership, while the EU, UK, Hong Kong, and Singapore advance sector-specific crypto frameworks.