Paul Atkins, Chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), emphasized that regulatory institutions should not panic despite the sharp declines in the cryptocurrency market, and announced that they will focus on structural reforms instead of an interventionist attitude. These statements, which came at a critical time when the Bitcoin price was pulled to the $ 66,000 limit, prove that the institution prioritizes the long-term legal framework, not market fluctuations. Speaking at the ETHDenver event held in Denver on February 18, Atkins declared that they had drawn a new road map for the cryptocurrency world with the “Project Crypto” project.
Policy Reform Instead of Market Volatility
In an atmosphere where cryptocurrencies are losing value and investors are uneasy, SEC Chairman Paul Atkins took a clear stance and stated that daily price movements are not the main concern of regulators. In an environment where Bitcoin is approaching the $60,000 support level and major cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum and XRP are losing value, Atkins’ statement that “the duty of the regulator is not to worry about price fluctuations” attracted attention. This approach shows that the past “regulation through punishment” strategy has been shelved and the institution is now trying to build a more predictable legal basis.
Atkins and Commissioner Hester Peirce see this market pullback as an opportunity to implement a comprehensive agenda called “Project Crypto.” This initiative is carried out in partnership with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC); It aims to clarify gray areas such as asset classification, stablecoin custody services, and securities trading on automated market makers. The institution reminds that those who pursue short-term speculative gains may be disappointed, and points out that the real value of the sector is hidden in technological innovation.
Innovation Exemption and Sectoral Future
This reversal on the regulatory front is not limited to the withdrawal of existing cases; It also includes radical steps such as the “innovation exemption”. This temporary regulation, which will allow tokenized securities to be tested in a limited volume on decentralized platforms, offers a legal sandbox to developers. While Atkins calls on developers to establish a direct dialogue with the institution, he defends the view that technological production will also bring political support.
Commissioner Hester Peirce advises industry components to get rid of a price-only approach and build products that people really need. Arguing that the way to dispel the pessimistic atmosphere in the market is to create real value, the SEC management wants to crown this process with the philosophy of “being happy with the success of others”. The new guides, which will be presented in a wide range of topics ranging from mining to staking transactions, from meme coin guides to storage procedures, seem to form the cornerstones for the cryptocurrency industry to reach institutional maturity.
