SEC and CFTC To Host Roundtable To ‘Harmonize’ Regulatory Frameworks for Crypto

The SEC and CFTC have announced a roundtable as they move forward with plans to collaborate on providing regulatory clarity for the crypto industry. The SEC CFTC roundtable will center on discussions on how both agencies can harmonize their respective frameworks for the industry.

Details About The SEC CFTC Roundtable

In an SEC release, the Commission announced that it will host a roundtable with the CFTC on September 29. Commenting on this move. SEC Chair Paul Atkins and CFTC Acting Chairman Caroline Pham said that it is a “new day” at both agencies as they begin the long-awaited journey to provide markets the clarity they deserve.

They further noted that by working together, they can harness the nation’s unique regulatory structure into a source of strength for market participants, investors, and all Americans. Notably, prior to the announcement of the SEC CFTC roundtable, both agencies had issued a statement earlier this week on potentially allowing crypto spot trading on U.S. regulated exchanges.

They stated that the joint statement on crypto asset products is only a first step and that, to the extent possible and appropriate, they would consider harmonizing product and venue definitions. Both agencies would further look to streamline reporting and data standards for crypto firms and align capital and margin frameworks.

Meanwhile, Atkins and Pham stated that they would establish coordinated innovation exemptions using each agency’s existing exemptive authority. According to the release, the SEC CFTC roundtable will provide an opportunity to discuss regulatory harmonization priorities.

Further commenting on the roundtable, Atkins and Pham said,

This roundtable represents a pivotal step toward building more coherent and competitive U.S. markets. By working together to align our regulatory frameworks, the SEC and CFTC can reduce unnecessary barriers, enhance market efficiency, and create space for innovation to thrive. Our shared goal is to ensure that America remains the global leader in capital markets

Areas Of Coordination From Both Agencies

In a joint statement, the SEC and CFTC presented the potential areas of coordination that they plan to discuss at the roundtable. This includes the possibility of 24/7 markets.

Both agencies noted that for on-chain finance to scale, they should collaborate to consider the possibility of further expanding trading hours, where appropriate. The SEC already launched ‘Project Crypto’, which aims to enable the U.S. markets to move on-chain.

The SEC CFTC roundtable may also feature discussions on event contracts. The agencies stated that there is a need to work together to provide clarity for innovators who want to list event contracts on prediction markets, including those related to securities. Notably, the CFTC just approved Polymarket to launch in the U.S.

Furthermore, both agencies stated that they could consider concurrent steps to onshore perpetual contracts that meet investor and customer protection standards, allowing U.S. regulated exchanges to offer these products. Meanwhile, the SEC and CFTC plan to coordinate on exemptions they could consider to enable innovation in the DeFi space.