SEC Chairman Paul Atkins declared that "the era of encryption assets has arrived": Project Crypto promotes the United States as a global encryption financial hub.

Paul S. Atkins, Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), delivered a speech at the inaugural Global Financial Market Roundtable Forum organized by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris on September 10, 2025. He emphasized that the SEC will return to its core mission: to protect investors, ensure fair markets, and facilitate capital formation, while also revealing a future financial blueprint driven by digital assets and AI.

In the speech, Chairman Atkins not only reviewed the cooperation history between the SEC and international markets but also strongly expressed support for international collaboration on digital assets, reforms for foreign issuers, and AI financial innovations. He stated, "It is time to acknowledge that the era of crypto assets has arrived."

SEC to Reform Foreign Company Listing Rules: Balancing Fair Competition and Investor Protection

Atkins pointed out that the depth and liquidity of the U.S. capital markets have long attracted global companies to list in the U.S. Since its establishment, the SEC has also provided special regulations for foreign issuers to align with the corporate governance and accounting standards of different markets.

But he also admitted that in recent years, there have been significant changes in the structure and governance models of foreign companies, such as an increasing number of companies choosing to register in the Cayman Islands while operating in other countries, which has led to a rise in information asymmetry risks.

To this end, the SEC recently released a conceptual report seeking public input on whether new thresholds such as "minimum foreign trading volume" or "listing on a domestic major exchange" should be increased. Atkins stated, "Our goal is not to deter foreign companies from listing in the U.S., but to ensure that investors have complete information and maintain market fairness."

High-quality accounting standards remain the cornerstone of financial stability.

Regarding accounting transparency, Atkins reviewed that in 2007 he supported allowing foreign companies using IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) to not have to adjust to US GAAP. This move is based on the premise that the IASB (International Accounting Standards Board) has independence and stable funding sources.

But he warned that in recent years, after the IFRS Foundation expanded its functions and established the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), if funding support for the IASB weakens, the original premise for relaxing the regulations may no longer hold. "If the core financial accounting function is marginalized, we will reevaluate this policy."

Criticism of the EU "Dual Materiality" legislation: It may increase the burden on American companies.

In terms of cross-border regulation, Atkins criticized the newly implemented EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). He believes that these bills emphasize "double materiality"—that is, in addition to having financial impacts on investors, they also consider the impact of companies on society and the environment—will lead to excessive costs and reporting burdens.

He urged that the focus should be on "financial materiality" and welcomed the EU to further simplify regulations to alleviate pressure on businesses. He pointed out: "If Europe wants to attract more companies and capital, it should reduce unnecessary reporting burdens rather than shift towards goals unrelated to the economic success of companies."

Project Crypto Launch: SEC Strives to Become Global Crypto Financial Hub

The climax of the speech came from Atkins announcing a brand new initiative: "Project Crypto," a large-scale regulatory modernization initiative aimed at making the United States the global hub for digital assets. He criticized the SEC's past approach of "enforcement first" towards the crypto industry, which has led to the outflow of innovative talent and capital.

"This chapter should come to an end. The SEC enters a new era, where policies will no longer be driven by enforcement actions but guided by clear and predictable rules to foster innovation." He emphasized that most cryptocurrencies do not actually fall under securities, the SEC will clearly delineate the boundaries, and platforms will be allowed to provide services such as trading, staking, and lending under a single regulatory framework.

Call for International Cooperation: Learn from the EU MiCA to Create Global Blockchain Market Standards

Atkins highly appreciates the European Union's leading position in digital asset regulation, especially the comprehensive regulatory framework provided by the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). He stated that the United States could learn from Europe's experience and promote global market integration through cross-border cooperation.

He emphasized: "Public chains are essentially global. If the US and Europe can work together, it can inject innovative power into global payments and capital markets."

The Combination of AI and Blockchain: Opening a New Era of "Agency Finance"

Atkins finally discussed the profound impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the financial markets. He mentioned that "Agentic Finance" is about to take shape — AI will autonomously execute trades, allocate capital, and incorporate regulatory-compliant smart contract mechanisms.

He emphasized that the combination of AI and blockchain can significantly reduce costs, improve transaction efficiency, and enable small and medium investors to enjoy institutional-level asset allocation capabilities. However, the government's role should be to "establish necessary but minimal regulations" to avoid stifling innovation out of fear.

Atkins concluded with "This is a new era for the SEC," reiterating his commitment to achieving a new balance between protecting investors and encouraging innovation. He stated that the United States will regain the spirit of a "builder nation" and work with global partners to create prosperity.

"Whether through on-chain capital markets or AI finance, our goal is clear — to let breakthrough innovations be born in the United States, regulated by the United States, and benefit global investors."

In this article, SEC Chairman Paul Atkins declares that "the era of crypto assets has arrived": Project Crypto promotes the United States as a global crypto financial hub. This first appeared in Chain News ABMedia.