SEC Announcement: Four Major Digital Assets Exempt from Securities Law Regulation! Ending Ten Years of Crypto Regulatory Ambiguity

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Paul Atkins announced today (18) that four categories of assets—digital commodities, digital collectibles, digital tools, and payment stablecoins—are explicitly excluded from the scope of securities. This move officially ends over a decade of regulatory ambiguity in the crypto market and marks a future where crypto assets will no longer be regulated by the SEC, greatly benefiting industry development.

Our interpretation of crypto assets—grounded in existing law and informed by extensive public input—acknowledges what the former administration refused to recognize…

Most crypto assets are not themselves securities.pic.twitter.com/fbHan0vmmb

— Paul Atkins (@SECPaulSAtkins) March 17, 2026

SEC Ends a Decade of Regulatory Ambiguity

In his speech, Atkins stated that the SEC has lacked clear guidance on classifying crypto assets over the past ten years. Now, the SEC has officially implemented a new “Token Classification Standard and Investment Contract Interpretation.” This new framework, based on current laws and widely adopted public input, will provide a clear regulatory environment for capital formation and innovation in the United States.

Four Asset Classes Exempt from Securities Regulation

According to the SEC’s latest interpretation, the following four types of crypto assets are explicitly excluded from the definition of securities:

Digital commodities—BTC, ETH, SOL, and other cryptocurrencies

Digital collectibles—NFTs, Web3 gaming assets

Digital tools—ENS domain names (Ethereum Name Service) and utility credentials

Payment stablecoins compliant with the “Genius Act”

This means that the development, issuance, and trading of these assets will no longer be subject to federal securities laws, significantly reducing compliance burdens.

Regulated Crypto Assets: Tokenized Stocks, Bonds, and Funds

After establishing these four exemption categories, Atkins further clarified that only one type of crypto asset remains under strict securities regulation: so-called “digital securities.” These assets involve tokenization of “Real World Assets” (RWA), such as U.S. government bonds, stocks, bonds, and funds, using blockchain technology. Since the underlying assets are still securities, their issuance and trading must strictly adhere to traditional securities laws.

SEC Is No Longer the “Securities and Everything Commission”

In his closing remarks, Atkins emphasized that this asset classification policy will allow the SEC to return to its core mission and statutory authority—focusing on protecting investors involved in “securities trading.” He humorously and firmly stated, “We are no longer the ‘Securities and Everything Commission.’” This declaration not only defines the boundaries of crypto asset regulation but also opens up more innovative development space for the market.

(US SEC allows brokerages to account for stablecoin capital at a 2% discount, promoting tokenization and crypto business development)

This article: SEC announces four digital asset categories are exempt from securities laws! Ending a decade of crypto regulatory ambiguity. Originally published on Chain News ABMedia.