On May 15, 2025, Chairman #SEC Michael Atkins delivered a keynote speech, confirming the course towards tightening regulation of the cryptocurrency industry. The regulator plans to introduce the first official market rules for the crypto sector, which has sparked a wave of discussions among market participants and investors.

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What did the SEC chairman say?

Michael Atkins confirmed that the SEC is working on:

• Clear classification of digital assets (goods, securities, payment tokens)

• Registering cryptocurrency exchanges as broker-dealers

• Regulation of stablecoins in collaboration with the U.S. Treasury

• Increasing transparency for crypto platforms offering yield on deposits

He emphasized that new rules will be published by the end of summer 2025, calling it a step towards 'institutional trust and consumer protection.'

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Why is this happening now?

1. Consequences of the Celsius and FTX collapses

Large-scale bankruptcies and sentences for founders of CeFi platforms (including 12 years for Alex Mashinsky) convinced regulators that voluntary oversight does not work.

2. Growing institutional interest

Amid the approval of spot #etf for Bitcoin and Ethereum, the SEC seeks to create a legal framework that will be favorable for major financial players.

3. Political pressure

With the 2026 elections approaching, both parties have intensified their outreach to voters concerned about crypto fraud.

Increased oversight is a way to show 'decisiveness' and 'responsibility'.

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How does this affect the market?

• Bitcoin and Ethereum reacted weakly to the news, but analysts warn of potential outflows from unregulated platforms.

• Regional exchanges and DeFi may face pressure if regulation turns out to be excessive or unclear.

• $USDT and $USDC remain in focus: especially the issues of backing, transparency, and reserve control.

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What do experts say?

'We don't need new laws - we need clarity on existing rules,' said Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase.

The SEC is moving in the right direction. But the pace of implementation will be a decisive factor, believes a Bloomberg Crypto analyst.

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Conclusion

The U.S. is shifting from fragmented investigations to systematic regulation of the crypto market. This could be a turning point: on one hand, increased trust from institutions, on the other, a challenge for startups and decentralized projects.

Investors and companies should pay attention to the wording of new rules - they will determine the rules of the game for the coming years.