SEC Moves Toward New Crypto Rules as CLARITY Act Deadlines Lapse

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has proposed new rules aimed at creating a “clear and fit-for-purpose framework” for certain investment contracts involving crypto assets—steps regulators are taking after Congress failed to advance a broad market-structure bill ahead of a month-long recess.

In a Tuesday notice, the SEC said its proposal would establish a “tailored securities offering regime” designed to let eligible entities raise capital while maintaining investor protections. The move comes as lawmakers consider the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act, which has faced delays in the Senate.

Key takeaways

• The SEC’s proposal focuses on crypto assets that fall within the definition of investment contracts, using a tailored securities offering structure.
• There is no “innovation exemption” in the SEC’s draft rules for crypto-linked securities offerings, a concept that had been expected.
• The plan includes token issuance thresholds and a safe harbor intended to help certain cryptocurrencies avoid being classified as investment contracts.
• The SEC is inviting public comments for 60 days after the proposal is published in the Federal Register.

SEC’s proposed “tailored securities offering regime”

The SEC’s filing, described in a notice released Tuesday, outlines a framework meant to bring more specificity to how some crypto-related offerings could be treated under federal securities laws.

According to the SEC, the goal is to deliver a securities offering regime that is “clear and fit-for-purpose” for “certain investment contracts involving crypto assets.” The regulator said the approach is intended to preserve investor protections while also offering a more structured pathway for capital raising.

SEC Chair Paul Atkins framed the proposal as part of a broader push to keep regulatory rules from being undone later. In remarks shared in a statement, Atkins said “[l]egislation remains indispensable to enacting ‘future-proofed’ rules of the road that are durable enough to protect the work we are undertaking today from being unwound by a future rogue regulator,” adding that the SEC would continue to support Congress in delivering CLARITY.

No innovation exemption included—and why that matters

Notably, the SEC’s draft rules do not include an “innovation exemption” for tokenized or crypto-based stocks—an idea that had been widely anticipated ahead of the announcement. Earlier coverage from Cointelegraph had reported expectations of such an exemption for tokenized stock trading.

For market participants, the absence of an innovation carve-out could mean fewer pathways for certain crypto-based equity-related products that might otherwise have been treated differently from conventional securities offerings. It also underscores that, at least for now, the SEC is leaning toward a securities-framework approach rather than a broader expansion of exemptions for tokenized instruments.

Token thresholds, reporting obligations, and a safe harbor

The SEC’s proposal includes specific parameters for how token issuers could qualify for exemptions within the securities offering regime. The draft rules reportedly offer exemptions for issuance of up to $5 million in tokens over a four-year period, and up to $75 million during a 12-month period.

In addition, the notice describes ongoing requirements for qualifying issuers. The SEC said token issuers would be required to make financial statements and would be subject to “ongoing reporting requirements.” This combination of exemption thresholds and continued disclosure obligations is a critical feature: it suggests the SEC’s goal is not to remove oversight, but to recalibrate it into a more tailored structure.

The filing also includes a safe harbor meant to exempt cryptocurrencies from being treated as “investment contracts.” While the proposal’s details are designed to clarify when certain digital assets should not be viewed through the investment-contract lens, the exact boundaries of that safe harbor will likely become a focal point during the rulemaking process.

Regulatory timing: SEC proposal amid CFTC crypto discussions

The SEC’s move arrives shortly before a scheduled Thursday meeting of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) that will address crypto alongside AI and prediction markets. The CFTC has said it plans to focus on “areas where regulatory action can complement future congressional legislation,” suggesting it is preparing for a scenario where statutory clarity is delayed but agencies still move forward with their own rulemaking.

Tuesday’s SEC announcement also disrupted Atkins’ previously scheduled appearance at the Wyoming Blockchain Symposium, where it had been expected he would speak. At the event, White House crypto adviser Patrick Witt said regulators would “let loose” on crypto regulation if Congress is unable to move forward on the CLARITY Act.

While the SEC and CFTC operate in different legal lanes, the proximity of these developments highlights a pattern: even as Congress stalls on broader market-structure legislation, U.S. agencies are continuing to develop proposals within their existing authority.

Where CLARITY stands in the Senate timetable

The SEC’s proposal is also tied to the near-term uncertainty surrounding CLARITY’s legislative prospects. Before the Senate broke for an August state work period, Majority Leader John Thune filed cloture on a motion to take up the CLARITY crypto bill when lawmakers return in mid-September.

After the August recess, senators would have only 14 days in session before breaking again ahead of the November election. If the leadership cannot secure a floor vote before then, the Senate would have another 22 days in session before 2027, when a new Congress is sworn in.

In other words, the legislative window for CLARITY appears narrow—making the SEC’s rule proposal more consequential for the market’s near-term expectations. Even if Congress later passes CLARITY, the SEC’s draft rules could influence how firms structure token offerings and disclosure practices during the interim.

With the SEC offering a 60-day comment period after the proposal is published in the Federal Register, the most immediate watch item is how issuers and industry groups respond—particularly on the safe harbor boundaries, the disclosure burden implied by ongoing reporting, and whether the lack of an “innovation exemption” will trigger renewed calls for carve-outs as CLARITY’s Senate timeline remains tight.