SEC Chair: US Lags 10 Years Behind in Crypto: Fixing It Is Priority One

The has fallen roughly a decade behind in the crypto revolution and must urgently close the gap, says SEC Chair Paul Atkins. Speaking during , Atkins declared that reforming the country’s approach to digital assets is “job one” for his agency. 

A Decade of Delay

Atkins did not mince words. The U.S. is “probably 10 years behind” in developing a coherent regulatory infrastructure for , he asserted. This lag has pushed innovators and capital toward more welcoming jurisdictions abroad, places where regulatory frameworks are clearer, more flexible, and more experimentally minded.

Atkins emphasised that the SEC must build a regime that not only restrains abuse and risk but actively attracts investment and innovation back to U.S. shores. 

“Job One” for the SEC

If closing the regulatory gap is task one, the SEC is already repositioning itself for the effort. Atkins framed his agency as evolving into a “securities and innovation commission,” reflecting a shift in mindset from purely policing markets to enabling technological progress.

He argued that the SEC already possesses broad statutory authority to grant exemptions in appropriate cases, tools that could be deployed to allow experimental breathing room to grow. 

Atkins also mooted the concept of an “innovation exemption,” enabling new ideas to be trialled without falling immediately afoul of rigid rules. He noted that the SEC is working full-time on crypto regulation, signalling institutional commitment. 

Beyond Tokens: Superapps & Regulatory Coordination

The SEC Chair went further, suggesting that the U.S. needs to modernise the architecture of financial services. He praised the idea of “superapps”   platforms combining payments, investing, and other financial functions that already thrive in markets such as . Atkins believes that such integrated systems could flourish under a unified, sensible regulatory approach. 

Finally, he floated the notion of coordinating regulation itself as a kind of “app,” that is, building interfaces or systems that assist diverse regulatory agencies interact more smoothly and consistently. His ambition is clear: the U.S. should be viewed not as an later thanthought in crypto circles, but as the natural home for innovation.

A Race to Regain Crypto Leadership

SEC Chair Paul Atkins’s remarks underscore a pivotal moment for the United States. later than years of hesitation and fragmented policy, the country now faces a pressing need to modernise its approach to digital assets.

His commitment to making crypto regulation the SEC’s “job one” signals a shift from scepticism to strategic engagement, one that could finally bridge the innovation gap. If executed effectively, these reforms may not only attract investors back to U.S. markets but also reestablish America as a global leader in fintech and blockchain development, where innovation and regulation work hand in hand.