In his speech at the SALT Blockchain Symposium in Wyoming, SEC Chairman Paul Atkins stated that very few tokens are classified as securities. Atkins emphasized that, under his leadership, the SEC will move away from heavy-handed tactics. This, in turn, will foster an environment that promotes innovation.
Atkins emphasized that the nature of a digital asset depends less on the token itself and more on how it is presented and sold. Using an analogy, he compared the purchase of tokens to buying oranges, suggesting that buying the fruit is not the same as investing in the process.
I can buy an orange, and I'm not necessarily buying the promise that someone will harvest it for me... and then send me the dividend. "So that's very different from just buying a token in the market," he shared. "In my opinion, there are very few tokens that are securities."
Atkins' statements come after the conclusion of the SEC's legal battle with Ripple. After more than four years of litigation, both parties jointly agreed to dismiss their appeals, officially ending the lawsuit against XRP.
This stance represents a shift from the regulatory stance of his predecessor, Gary Gensler. "It's a new day," Atkins told attendees, promising that cryptocurrency projects would not face the same drastic measures that previously characterized the SEC's policy.
Paul Atkins previously presented the Crypto Project, an initiative designed to modernize U.S. financial regulation and integrate more U.S. markets into the blockchain. The program will focus on facilitating the trading of securities and commodities of crypto-assets under a unified framework.
The SEC chairman announced during the symposium that the top priority will be to implement the recommendations of the Presidential Working Group on Digital Asset Markets.
Recently, they published a 166-page report demanding regulatory clarity. He praised President Trump for supporting this initiative and described the administration's goal as turning the United States into the "global cryptocurrency capital."
Atkins emphasized the need to protect investors from abuse while providing space for new technologies to flourish. He added that the SEC will work closely with Congress, the White House, and international partners to create a framework that supports long-term innovation.
The digital asset industry has embraced the SEC's new regulatory stance following the settlement in the XRP lawsuit. For many developers and investors, Atkins' stance reduces uncertainty and signals a more open environment for token projects.
Experts believe that the United States is setting the stage for a broad introduction of blockchain technology into the global digital economy with the Crypto Project underway.
