Crypto Regulation
5 articles
SEC Innovation Exemption and Token Safe Harbor: A Founder's Guide to Regulation Crypto Assets (Updated October 2026)
On August 18, 2026 the Commission proposed Regulation Crypto Assets—a 401-page proposing release creating a new 17 C.F.R. part 228, with a $5 million startup exemption, a two-tier fundraising exemption, an investment contract safe harbor, and blue-sky preemption through section 18(b)(3). It was published in the Federal Register on August 21, 2026, and comments are due October 20, 2026. What founders can use now, what changed, and where the rule is still exposed.
Does Your AI Trading Agent Need to Register with the CFTC?
The CFTC asks two questions the SEC's framework does not: what does the agent trade, and what job does it do with it? Futures, swaps, and leveraged retail crypto pull an autonomous trading agent into the Commodity Exchange Act — and depending on whether it advises, pools capital, or takes orders, it can owe registration as a CTA, CPO, FCM, or introducing broker. The CFTC's Ooki DAO enforcement action signals that being autonomous does not dissolve the duty.
CFTC Commodities Regulation for Crypto: Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Digital Assets
The CFTC regulates Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other digital asset commodities—especially derivatives and DeFi protocols. Understand CFTC jurisdiction, registration requirements, and enforcement priorities as of mid-2026.
The SEC/CFTC Token Taxonomy: What the Five Categories Mean for Your Token
The March 2026 SEC/CFTC joint release established five token categories. Which one applies determines your regulator, registration obligations, and compliance path.
The SEC's Crypto Pivot: What the Dismissals and New Rules Mean for Your Startup
The SEC dismissed its biggest crypto cases with prejudice, issued staff guidance, and adopted an interpretive token framework. For founders, the question shifted from "will the SEC sue me?" to "what does the new framework require—and how much of it actually binds?"
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