SEC’s Paul Atkins Says Ethereum and AI Could Revolutionize Markets as Most Crypto Tokens Aren’t Securities

At the OECD roundtable, SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins reiterated that the SEC prioritizes the protection of crypto asset holders and seeks clear crypto regulation. He emphasized that while most tokens do not meet securities tests, definitive token classification and regulatory boundaries are essential to market integrity and investor protection.

Atkins observed that blockchain is reshaping transaction and settlement mechanics and that artificial intelligence is becoming material to DeFi infrastructure. He described compliant, autonomous agents capable of executing trades, allocating capital and managing risk with securities-law controls encoded into their operations, reflecting an evolution in market infrastructure rather than conjecture.

The chairman highlighted practical benefits such as faster markets, lower costs and broader market access, while stressing the necessity of robust compliance frameworks. The SEC affirmed its intent to pursue regulatory clarity to enable innovation within established legal parameters.