In a scene more symbolic than procedural, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s freshly assembled crypto task force kicked off its first public roundtable—just as the Trump camp plots a dramatic regulatory pivot that could redefine the future of digital assets in America.
The meeting, led by Republican Commissioner Hester Peirce—known in crypto circles as “Crypto Mom”—brought together a heavyweight lineup, including former SEC enforcement chief John Reed Stark, a16z crypto legal head Miles Jennings, and ex-Commissioner Troy Paredes. The mission? Rethink how century-old securities laws square with blockchain-era innovation.
“Spring signifies new beginnings,” Peirce declared, leaning into the symbolism of the moment. “We have a new beginning here—a restart of the Commission’s approach to crypto regulation.”
The roundtable signaled a possible thaw in the long-frosty relationship between Washington and the crypto industry, which has spent years pushing back against being shoehorned into securities law. Crypto advocates argue that tokens function more like commodities than stocks—making SEC oversight overly burdensome and misaligned.
Under the previous administration, that conflict came to a head, with the SEC taking Coinbase, Kraken, and others to court for allegedly ignoring investor disclosure rules. But Trump, now pitching himself as the “crypto president,” is charting a radically different course. His new executive order—establishing a strategic cryptocurrency reserve—and a White House summit with industry figures suggest a full-blown policy overhaul is underway.
Inside the SEC, that shift is already rippling. The task force debated whether crypto needs its own rulebook altogether. Jennings pushed for a “technology-neutral” lens, one that considers what makes Ethereum tick—compared to, say, owning Apple stock. On the other side, Democratic Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw sounded alarms.
“Changing the law to boost a chosen product category is risky,” Crenshaw warned. “It could erode protections not just for crypto investors, but across the entire financial system.”
With Trump’s regulatory reboot gaining momentum, and the SEC’s task force laying fresh groundwork, the future of American crypto policy is clearly in flux. The only thing that’s certain? The status quo is cracking—and fast.
