The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) issued a joint statement confirming that registered exchanges are allowed to trade spot crypto assets and encouraged platforms to seek regulatory clarification.
The SEC and CFTC announced their readiness to coordinate efforts for launching spot crypto asset trading on registered platforms. The statement noted that exchanges, including national securities exchanges (NSE) registered with the SEC, as well as DCM and FBOT platforms overseen by the CFTC, “are not restricted in their ability to trade certain products on the spot crypto market.”
The initiative refers to trading actual cryptocurrencies, not derivatives. The agencies invited exchanges to contact their teams to clarify how to implement the new model within existing regulations.
According to the statement, this initiative is being carried out as part of the SEC’s Project Crypto and the CFTC’s ongoing crypto sprint. Both campaigns were launched after appointments of representatives from President Donald Trump’s administration to key regulatory positions. Trump openly supports digital assets and actively participates in the crypto industry through his family’s business.
SEC Chairman Paul Atkins stated that market participants should have the freedom to choose trading venues for spot crypto asset operations. His colleague, acting CFTC head Caroline Pham, described the statement as another step toward supporting the growth and development of the sector.
The regulators did not specify which cryptocurrencies fall under the new model. Instead, they expressed their intention to work with trading platforms to implement principles of a “fair and orderly market” when launching such operations.
Legislative Prospects
Amid regulatory efforts, Congress continues working on comprehensive legislation aimed at creating a unified legal framework for the U.S. crypto market. This process is expected to take considerable time despite backing from the Trump administration.
Previously, one of the key gaps in oversight was the CFTC’s limited ability to fully supervise spot crypto trading. The joint initiative of the two main regulators is intended to close this gap using existing rules.
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