By explicitly defining digital commodities as assets that are not securities when used for network participation, the U.S. House’s market structure discussion draft could usher in a new era of clarity and confidence for token markets. Liquidity tends to flourish when buyers and sellers can transact without fear of retroactive liability or ambiguous classification, so exempting qualifying tokens from securities status might encourage market makers to deepen order books and institutional players to engage more readily. Compliance costs could decline, too, since firms would no longer need to implement securities‑focused protocols for every token, freeing resources to enhance transparency and monitoring within digital commodity frameworks. Moreover, a clear statutory safe harbor could reduce the flood of regulatory disputes that haunt many projects today, allowing developers to focus on innovation rather than protracted legal battles. If enacted, such rules might not only broaden the roster of tokens that sidestep securities scrutiny but also strengthen market integrity by channeling digital assets into tailored oversight regimes. Of course, guardrails will be essential to prevent bad actors from abusing exemptions, but with balanced safeguards and an enforcement approach, this proposal could represent a pivotal step toward a more liquid, compliant, and digital asset ecosystem.
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