SEC Says Blockchain Can Transform US Finance, Sets 2030 Goal for Crypto Rules

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has made digital assets a core strategic priority and plans to establish regulatory clarity for blockchain technology, asset tokenization and broader crypto-market infrastructure by 2030.

The SEC released a draft strategic plan for fiscal 2026 through 2030 on June 2. In addition to its existing goals of capital formation, investor protection and agency modernization, the regulator added a separate objective focused on digital assets and distributed ledger technology, or DLT.

In the draft, the SEC said it aims to provide a robust regulatory foundation for digital assets and DLT through a reasonable, consistent and principles-based approach. It added that blockchain and crypto technology have the potential to transform U.S. financial infrastructure.

The digital-asset industry has long criticized regulators for vague standards. The SEC acknowledged in the document that the market's growth is outpacing existing rules and said participants need clearer legal standards.

The agency also said it plans to build a framework that would allow custody, trading and staking services to operate under appropriate oversight without overlapping or conflicting regulatory requirements.

Another key part of the strategy is resolving jurisdictional disputes with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The SEC said establishing clear rules for digital assets includes clarifying the division of authority between the SEC and the CFTC to create a consistent regulatory framework.

The two agencies have already begun working more closely together. In March, the SEC and the CFTC signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation and information-sharing as emerging technologies reshape financial markets.