SEC & CFTC End Turf War: Atkins and Selig Set for Historic ‘Harmonization’ Summit
Two agencies, one mission: The Jan 29 joint event signals the first concrete step toward the “Crypto Capital” doctrine.
The Regulatory Silos Are Coming Down
The era of inter-agency friction is officially ending. In a move that signals a decisive pivot toward the Trump administration’s “Crypto Capital” mandate, SEC Chairman Paul Atkins and CFTC Chairman Michael Selig announced a historic joint event for Thursday, January 29.
Scheduled for 2:00 p.m. ET at CFTC headquarters, the summit represents the first concrete step toward a unified federal framework for digital assets. The market implication is clear: the “regulation by enforcement” doctrine that plagued the industry for years is being replaced by a coordinated effort to keep innovation on American soil.
The Receipt: Details & Data
The event, titled “U.S. Financial Leadership in the Crypto Era,” will be webcast live on the SEC’s website. Following remarks from both chairmen, Eleanor Terrett, co-founder of Crypto in America, will moderate a fireside chat. Terrett’s involvement is notable; as a journalist who has long chronicled the industry’s regulatory battles, her selection underscores the agencies’ shift toward transparent, industry-aware dialogue.
“For too long, market participants have been forced to navigate regulatory boundaries that are unclear in application and misaligned in design, based solely on legacy jurisdictional silos.” Joint Statement by Chairmen Atkins and Selig
Institutional Context: The ‘Selig-Atkins’ Doctrine
This harmonization is not just a photo op; it is a structural necessity for the approval of complex products like spot ETF options and tokenized securities. Selig, confirmed in December 2025, has previously advocated for classifying assets like XRP as commodities, a stance that aligns with Atkins’ push to reduce the SEC’s overreach. With both agencies now sharing a “pro-innovation” directive, market makers can expect faster clarity on the digital commodity vs. security classification that has stifled institutional capital deployment.
While specific agendas remain tight, the focus on “American economic leadership” suggests a fast-tracking of policy frameworks that could preempt the European Union’s MiCA regulations. Markets reacted swiftly to the confirmation of the new collaborative stance, with institutional-grade assets seeing renewed volume as traders price in a lower regulatory risk premium.
