SEC Adds Three Crypto Rulemakings to 2026 Agenda: Token Safe Harbors, Broker-Dealer Rules, ATS Amendments

According to the SEC Agency Rule List, the SEC formally placed three crypto rulemaking items on its 2026 regulatory agenda in early July, covering the offer and sale of crypto assets with safe harbor provisions, broker-dealer financial responsibility rules, and Exchange Act amendments for crypto trading on alternative trading venues.

Chair Paul Atkins framed the initiative as embracing innovation and bringing more crypto products onshore, with tokenized securities receiving particular focus. The rulemakings address critical compliance ambiguities: whether token issuers can access a codified safe harbor, how broker-dealer and DeFi registration requirements apply to crypto assets, and whether existing ATS frameworks operate as-is or require a parallel crypto-specific track.