SEC Crypto News Reveals Plan to Recategorize Crypto Assets

Ben Graham · Novembro 12

The SEC crypto news shows the plans to introduce a formal “token taxonomy” that could redefine how digital assets are classified under US law.

Speaking in Philadelphia on November 12, SEC Chair Paul S. Atkins said the agency will “in the coming months” propose a structured framework based on the Supreme Court’s Howey test, the legal standard used to decide whether an asset counts as a security.

The move aims to bring clarity to one of the most contentious areas in crypto regulation: determining when a token constitutes a security and when it does not.

Atkins also said the Commission intends to release a “package” of exemptions designed to create a more flexible system for crypto projects that sell assets through investment contracts.

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The plan would give such tokens a clearer path to operate within US law without forcing them into the same category as traditional securities.

The comments were made during the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia’s fintech conference, addressing years of uncertainty over how the SEC’s authority applies to crypto.

Atkins laid out four main categories for digital assets: “digital commodities” or “network tokens,” “digital collectibles,” “digital tools,” and “tokenized securities.”

He made it clear that tokenized versions of traditional financial products “are and will continue to be securities.”

He also noted that investment contracts “can come to an end,” meaning a token once issued under that framework isn’t automatically a security forever. “Fraud is fraud,” he said, adding that enforcement efforts would continue even as the agency works on new rules.

The policy discussion comes as Congress considers broader legislation to define how the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission divide responsibility for overseeing the crypto market.

A new draft from Senate Agriculture leaders this week would give the CFTC primary oversight of most non-security tokens.

The proposal mirrors the House’s earlier CLARITY Act, which outlines a similar framework for defining digital assets.

The White House, meanwhile, has advocated for a taxonomy-based system in its own digital assets plan.

SEC official Atkins said the agency’s work is designed to complement, not replace, Congress’s efforts. Industry groups have spent much of 2025 calling for clearer boundaries and practical compliance paths.

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Is the SEC Crypto News a Step Toward Clearer Crypto Market Oversight?

In recent filings to the SEC’s Crypto Task Force, the Crypto Council for Innovation and others argued that well-defined categories could “create a regulatory taxonomy” and reduce the need for case-by-case enforcement.

Coinbase has also called for clear, detailed rules on how tokens should be classified, how they’re held in custody, and what standards apply to trading venues.

By late Wednesday, the Bitcoin price was trading around $101,600, down about -1% for the day.

On the other hand, Ether price held near $3,420, showing little change over 24 hours.

The total crypto market value stood near $3.4 trillion, roughly -1% lower than a day earlier, as traders waited for the SEC to release specifics or a formal proposal.

The Commission is expected to issue a draft proposal in the coming weeks, which will open a period for public comment. If Congress moves its own bill forward, both efforts could lead to a final set of rules that align agency definitions with law.

The main points to watch are how the SEC defines “network tokens” versus tokenized securities, what exemptions are included, and how it coordinates oversight with the CFTC.

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