The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is considering a regulatory exemption aimed at accelerating asset tokenization across U.S. capital markets. Chairman Paul Atkins confirmed the move during a press briefing this Friday.
Innovation exemption under review
According to Atkins, the SEC is exploring a framework that would grant temporary relief from traditional securities rules, allowing companies to experiment with tokenized securities, RWAs, and blockchain-native financial instruments.
“If it can be tokenized, it will be tokenized,” said Atkins, signaling a policy shift to support blockchain-based innovation within regulatory boundaries.
The exemption, currently under internal discussion, would align with the GENIUS Act recently passed by Congress, which laid the foundation for stablecoin regulations and encouraged digital asset frameworks.
A shift in regulatory posture
The announcement reflects a broader pivot at the SEC. Under Atkins’ leadership, the Commission is showing openness toward DeFi, stablecoins, and tokenized financial markets a marked change from the more adversarial stance seen in prior administrations.
Commissioner Hester Peirce emphasized that while innovation is welcome, tokenized assets remain subject to securities laws, and developers must ensure compliance with investor protection standards.
What it means for RWA markets
The exemption, if adopted, could streamline the path for financial institutions and fintech platforms to:
- Launch tokenized equities and bonds
- Build permissioned DeFi applications with real-world assets
- Expand institutional adoption of blockchain-based finance
This development also reinforces the thesis behind StartUpX and the XSTP token that the future of finance is programmable, transparent, and borderless and tokenized assets are the gateway.
Sources: SEC Press Briefing, Cointelegraph, PANews, Reuters
Date of reporting: July 18, 2025
