Crypto In America Creating The Crypto Capital Of The World | SEC Chair Paul Atkins & CFTC Chair Michael Selig
Feb 2, 2026
Michael S. Selig, Chairman of the CFTC, a derivatives and commodities overseer coordinating crypto market structure. Paul S. Atkins, former SEC Commissioner and current SEC Chair, focused on modernizing securities law and Project Crypto. They discuss harmonizing SEC and CFTC rules, practical coordination steps like substituted compliance and MOUs, tokenized securities and innovation exemptions, and strategies to make the U.S. the crypto capital of the world.
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Coordination Over Consolidation
- Paul Atkins and Michael S. Selig say collaboration, not consolidation, will close regulatory gaps between SEC and CFTC.
- They aim to harmonize standards, share surveillance data, and reduce duplicative registrations to boost U.S. competitiveness.
Share Data And Allow Substituted Compliance
- Share market data and surveillance between agencies to spot cross-jurisdictional risks and avoid duplicative burdens on registrants.
- Use substituted compliance and common standards so firms need not dually register under inconsistent rules.
Gaps Drive Products Offshore
- Paul Atkins warns regulatory gaps cause arbitrage and push products offshore, hurting U.S. investors.
- He cites perpetual futures as an example of products migrating abroad due to legal uncertainty.