SEC Chair Atkins: Will Develop Regulatory Framework for On-Chain Markets; Calls on Congress to Pass the CLARITY Act

According to the SEC’s official website, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Paul S. Atkins delivered a speech on May 8 at the Special Competitive Study Project’s AI+ Expo, outlining the SEC’s regulatory approach toward AI and on-chain financial markets. Atkins stated that the SEC will advance several regulatory initiatives targeting on-chain markets, including: establishing rules defining “exchanges” for on-chain trading systems; clarifying the applicability of definitions for “brokers” and “dealers” to on-chain activities; delineating the scope of the “clearing agency” definition as it applies to on-chain clearing and settlement activities; and issuing regulatory guidance for activities related to “crypto vaults.” Regarding AI regulation, Atkins emphasized that the SEC will not mandate specific AI models for firms but will uphold its core mission of protecting investors, maintaining fair and efficient markets, and facilitating capital formation—while requiring firms to take responsibility for the outputs of their deployed AI tools. Atkins also urged Congress to promptly send the CLARITY Act to the President for signature, thereby providing long-term regulatory certainty for digital asset markets through legislation. He warned that driving innovation offshore would repeat the FTX debacle and harm U.S. investors.