SEC Chairman Atkins: Very few tokens are securities, embrace encryption innovation.

[Coin World] Paul Atkins, the chairman of the SEC, reiterated his friendlier stance towards Crypto Assets compared to previous administrations, stating that only "a very small number" of Tokens are securities. At a Blockchain seminar in Wyoming on Tuesday, Atkins stated that the SEC will "continue to advance the idea that Tokens themselves are not necessarily securities and may not be." Atkins added, "In my view, only a very small number of Tokens are securities, but it depends on how they are packaged and sold." Prior to Atkins' remarks, the SEC launched "Project Crypto" last month, which the chairman described as aimed at "modernizing" securities laws and assisting in the on-chain transfer of the U.S. financial markets. These efforts contrast with former SEC chairman Gary Gensler's view that most Crypto Assets are securities. Atkins stated on Tuesday, "For this [crypto] industry, this is a new era." "What we are focused on is innovation. Now we want to embrace innovation." After attending the event on Tuesday, Atkins said, "We must establish a framework to protect the Crypto Assets market from regulatory antics in the future." "I look forward to working with colleagues in the government and Congress to get this done." Some Crypto Assets analysts praised Atkins' policies. Earlier this month, Bernstein analysts described the SEC's Project Crypto initiative as "the boldest and most transformative vision for Crypto Assets put forward by a sitting SEC chairman," claiming that the project could "rewrite the rules on Wall Street." Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan also described Project Crypto as a roadmap for investment over the next five years, with Atkins suggesting that all assets (including stocks, bonds, and dollars) will eventually transition on-chain.