On September 4, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission’s spring 2025 rulemaking agenda (the “Agenda”) was made publicly available (see here). Chairman Paul Atkins previewed the Agenda, which widely diverges from the Commission’s fall 2024 rulemaking agenda, in a simultaneously-released statement (the “Statement”), declaring that “[t]he items on the agenda represent the Commission’s renewed
Digital Assets
11th Annual Alternative Finance Summit
- The private placement market and SEC Staff
SEC Staff Guidance on Liquid Staking Activities
On August 5, 2025, the staff (the “Staff”) of the Division of Corporation Finance (the “Division”) issued new guidance regarding certain Protocol Staking (defined below) activities. This guidance builds on a May 2025 Staff statement covering certain other types of Protocol Staking, discussed here. Both statements provide the Staff’s views on the staking of…
Digital (Tokenized) Bonds: What to Know About a Growing Asset Class
Webinar | August 11, 2025
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. EDT
Register here.
Tokenized bonds are one asset class that is quickly emerging from the amorphous pool of digital asset projects. Hosted by PLI, this webinar will provide an overview of the fundamentals of tokenized bonds, how they are structured, and how they have…
SEC Statement on Disclosure Best Practices for Crypto Asset ETFs
On July 1, 2025, the staff of the Division of Corporation Finance at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) issued another in a series of statements regarding crypto assets. This particular statement, titled “Crypto Asset Exchange-Traded Products,” (the “Statement”) details how certain disclosure requirements under the federal securities laws apply to offerings and…
SEC Division of Corporation Finance Statement on Certain Protocol Staking Activities
On May 29, 2025, the staff (“Staff”) of the Division of Corporation Finance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission continued its recent pattern of issuing Staff guidance addressing cryptocurrency. The May 29 Staff statement, titled “Statement on Certain Protocol Staking Activities”, provides the Staff’s views on the staking of crypto assets (“Covered Crypto Assets”)…
SEC Division of Trading and Markets Releases FAQs on Crypto Asset Activities and Distributed Ledger Technology; 2019 Joint Staff Statement on Broker-Dealer Custody of Digital Asset Securities Withdrawn
On May 15, 2025, the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Division of Trading and Markets (the “Staff”) published responses to certain frequently asked questions (“FAQs”) relating to crypto asset activities and distributed ledger technology as they relate to broker-dealer financial responsibility and transfer agent activities. Importantly, the Staff’s responses to the FAQs…
SEC Crypto Task Force Holds Roundtable on Tokenization
On May 12, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) held a Crypto Task Force roundtable to explore an appropriate regulatory framework for tokenized securities. In the keynote address, Chair Paul Atkins, stated that a key priority of his tenure will be the development of a rational regulatory framework for crypto asset markets. His focus…
SEC Commissioner Peirce remarks on the Regulation of Tokenized Securities
On May 8, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) held the 31st International Institute for Securities Market Growth and Development. Commissioner Peirce used this opportunity to discuss an approach to regulating the tokenization of traditional securities—in other words, issuing traditional securities through a blockchain or distributed ledger.
The Commissioner noted that other jurisdictions have…
SEC Crypto Task Force Holds Roundtable on Crypto Custody
On March 25, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) held a Crypto Task Force roundtable to explore regulatory considerations surrounding custody of crypto assets through broker-dealers and other financial institutions, such as state chartered limited purpose trust companies. Newly installed SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins opened the roundtable by stating that he expects “huge…

