Overview

• Atkins said the U.S. is “10 years behind” on digital assets and declared crypto the agency’s top priority.
• SEC staff are drafting an “innovation exemption” to fast‑track approvals and allow time‑limited, supervised experimentation with on‑chain products.
• He emphasized tokenization as central to the agenda, citing blockchain’s potential to improve financial infrastructure and compliance.
• He proposed a centralized compliance “super app” to coordinate processes across government bodies and reduce burdens on startups.
• Policy work continues under limited staffing during the government shutdown, and prior deterrent policies are being softened according to recent reporting.