U.S. SEC Chairman: The SEC plans to officially launch the "Innovation Exemption" before the end of the year or in Q1 2026

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Paul Atkins stated at an event in Manhattan that the agency remains committed to establishing an "innovation exemption" for companies operating in the United States based on digital assets and other innovative technologies as soon as possible, perhaps by the end of this quarter. While the current government shutdown has hampered the SEC's ability to proceed with rulemaking, developing this exemption remains a top priority for the agency, with a target date of late this year or the first quarter of 2026. He stated that the agency intends to initiate rulemaking by the end of 2025 or the first quarter of 2026 and is confident of achieving this goal. He added that formal rulemaking in the cryptocurrency sector would allow it to break free from the current regulatory model. During a Q&A session, he cited the exemption as one of the areas he hopes to finalize quickly as a way to welcome innovators to the United States. He also noted that the government shutdown has hindered work and has halted rulemaking. He also praised Congress's efforts to pass cryptocurrency legislation, mentioning the GENIUS Act, but stated that the SEC did not play a major role in it.