TL;DR
- Paul Atkins and Michael Selig will lead a joint event at CFTC headquarters to coordinate regulatory frameworks for cryptocurrencies.
- The SEC and the CFTC aim to correct regulatory overlap and move toward operational harmonization after closing their jurisdictional disputes in September.
- Congress is debating key bills on digital market structure.
SEC Chairman Paul Atkins and CFTC Chairman Michael Selig will hold a joint event on January 27 to coordinate regulatory criteria for digital assets. The meeting will take place at CFTC headquarters between 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. ET and will be broadcast live on the SEC’s website.
Both agencies announced the event through a joint statement, highlighting the need to address the overlap and misalignment of regulatory frameworks historically applied to digital financial markets. The focus will be on regulatory harmonization and operational coordination between the two bodies.
The SEC and the CFTC End Their Jurisdictional Disputes
The meeting builds on progress made during a roundtable held on September 29, where the SEC and the CFTC publicly declared the end of their jurisdictional disputes. Executives from Kraken, Polymarket, Kalshi, Nasdaq, CME Group, and Robinhood participated in that session. During the discussion, Caroline Pham, then a CFTC commissioner, stated that the conflict between the agencies had ended, while Atkins described the moment as a structural shift in financial oversight.
The January 27 event will include opening remarks from both chairmen, followed by a conversation moderated by Eleanor Terrett, co-founder of Crypto in America. Doors will open at 9:30 a.m. ET.
Trump Expects Crypto Legislation in the Near Term
Since the leadership changes in 2025, both agencies have accelerated and expanded their digital asset agendas. Atkins assumed the SEC chairmanship in April following Gary Gensler’s departure and significantly reduced the use of enforcement actions. During 2025, the agency initiated 13 crypto-related cases, compared with 33 in 2024, according to data from Cornerstone Research. Eight of those cases involved fraud allegations. The agency also dismissed seven ongoing actions and reduced monetary penalties to $142 million.
Michael Selig assumed the CFTC chairmanship on December 22 following Senate confirmation. He immediately launched the Future-Proof initiative, aimed at reviewing regulations applicable to blockchain, algorithmic trading, and prediction markets.
Regulatory coordination aligns with Congress, which is advancing parallel bills on crypto market structure. The Senate Agriculture Committee scheduled a review of the Digital Commodity Intermediaries Act for January 27. The Senate Banking Committee postponed consideration of the CLARITY Act until late February or March. In parallel, President Donald Trump stated at Davos 2026 that he expects to sign crypto legislation in the near term.
