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A proposed safe harbor could give early crypto projects more flexibility while building tokenized products.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has launched its 2026 Regulatory Agenda.

Meant to ease compliance rules for crypto companies and offer regulatory safeguards for transactions on the blockchain, the agenda includes 38 proposed rules, with key initiatives focusing on tokenization standards, modernization of custody for on-chain assets, and reduction of compliance costs for public companies.

SEC Reveals its Crypto Plan for 2026

The regulator is considering a change to its rules that would expand the definition of “qualified custodian” to give firms managing tokenized assets a clearer set of rules. It also includes a safe-harbor framework for early-stage crypto projects that would give developers a defined period to build and test tokenized products under lighter compliance obligations.

The SEC is reviewing broker-dealer financial responsibility and record-keeping requirements for digital assets, and making changes that will impact how they protect their clients’ crypto, to replace traditional securities standards with ones better suited for crypto.

The agency also proposes Crypto Market Structure Amendments to revise the rules governing the trading of cryptocurrencies on alternative trading systems.

The agenda also suggests lowering costs for companies looking to go public by updating disclosure forms and modifying the eligibility for simplified registration, which the SEC thinks could spur more domestic IPOs.

Atkins Backs US Crypto Push

SEC Chairman Paul Atkins said the regulator has made a lot of progress more than a year into his tenure, noting that it aims to support President Trump’s goal of making America the crypto capital of the world.

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“We are embracing innovation to bring more products onshore, creating clear rules of the road for capital raising with crypto assets, and providing clarity as to how market participants can custody and facilitate trading of tokenized securities on-chain,” he wrote.

Atkins also stressed that investor protection measures will still be functional as the agency continues to pursue securities law violations, but said the main goal is to give businesses confidence to innovate in the U.S. market.

The proposals are yet to be approved and will now go through the public comment phase this month, with final rules expected to be considered later this year.

Meanwhile, the CLARITY Act missed the July 4 signing target after passing the House in 2025 and clearing the Senate in May, and the bill is now waiting for a full Senate floor vote, with lawmakers having a limited amount of time before the August recess to finish work on the crypto market structure bill.