On August 4, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced the start of “Project Crypto.” They are currently on an eight-city tour across the United States. Beginning in Berkeley, the project represents a significant movement away from a “one size fits all” approach to designing specific regulations for unique digital assets. The SEC aims to move away from broad, one-size-fits-all policies, opting instead for approaches customized to the nuances of the digital asset space. The lessons learned from this experimental approach could have enormous impact on how digital assets are regulated going forward in the United States.
Perfectly timed, “Project Crypto” started its national tour with this very first stop in Berkeley. The SEC’s justification for this initiative touches on something we find notable – the fact that digital assets are becoming an increasingly mainstream part of the financial environment. The SEC conducts a robust outreach effort for startups and industry stakeholders. Welcoming this level of involvement allows them to get an idea of the challenges and opportunities that cryptocurrencies and other digital assets have to offer.
The tour includes public events in eight U.S. cities. This configuration allows the SEC to gather testimony and input from varying regional centers of innovation and technology. Policies tailored to fit specific contexts, not across-the-board, one-size-fits-all rules, are what lies at the core of “Project Crypto”. The SEC has, to its credit, recognized that the digital asset market is not monolithic. It recognizes that different asset classes and different types of platforms will require different regulatory treatment.
Moving forward with the SEC’s emphasis on more customized regulations, they’re showing their desire to encourage innovation while maintaining the safety and security of investors. By engaging with industry participants, the SEC aims to strike a balance between promoting responsible innovation and mitigating potential risks associated with digital assets. The perspectives and experiences developed through these events will help form the basis for future regulatory actions.
The initiative continues with a tour, indicating the SEC's proactive approach to understanding and regulating the digital asset market. The SEC’s attempts to work collaboratively with startups and develop rules in anticipation of the growth of digital assets shows a long-term vision toward regulation. The results of “Project Crypto” are sure to influence the future of the entire digital asset ecosystem for years to come.
