Mayor policy shift at the U. S. Securities and Exchange Comision - Cryptocurrencies no longer a supervisory priority in 2026.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced in November 2025 that cryptocurrencies are being removed from its list of Examination Priorities for fiscal year 2026.

Key Facts

For the first time since 2018, cryptocurrencies do not appear at all in the SEC's annual "Examination Priorities" document.

In previous years—even under Chairman Gary Gensler—cryptocurrency has been cited as a key risk area and a supervisory priority.

In the fiscal year 2026 document, the SEC is focusing on other areas, including:

cybersecurity, operational resilience, and technology-related risk management;

Supervision of broker-dealers and investment advisors, including issues related to fiduciary duty and retail investor protection;

risks associated with the use of artificial intelligence and automation of investment tools;

Cryptocurrencies are mentioned only marginally—as one of many examples of "new financial technologies," but not as a separate, priority area of ​​supervision.

What does this mean for the crypto industry?

This decision is being widely commented on in the sector as a sign of a significant softening of the SEC's approach to cryptocurrencies following the change in the US administration and Gensler's departure as chairman. In practice, this could mean:

a lower likelihood that cryptocurrency firms will be treated as priority "watch" for supervision;

a signal that the regulator considers cryptocurrencies a more integrated part of the financial market—that is, less of a "special" category requiring separate treatment;

However, this does not mean complete freedom or a lack of oversight – the SEC emphasizes that the priorities document does not exhaust all areas of oversight and that other risks will still be monitored.

Important Notes and Potential Pitfalls

Even if cryptocurrencies are not listed as a separate priority, they may still be subject to oversight under other categories – for example, asset management, advisor behavior, AML issues, or client asset safeguarding.

The change does not automatically mean that the regulator is abandoning oversight of cryptocurrencies – rather, it is changing the way it is approached and prioritized.

For companies operating in the cryptocurrency sector, this may be an opportunity to rethink their compliance strategy – they may be less "on the radar," but that does not mean "off the radar."

From an investor's perspective: this may be a signal that the regulator considers the cryptocurrency market less risky (or more mature) than before – which could impact market sentiment.

Summary

The SEC has officially removed cryptocurrencies from its regulatory priorities for fiscal year 2026. This is one of the biggest regulatory changes in the crypto space in years and could have widespread implications for the industry. At the same time—as always in the financial world—it's worth remaining vigilant and following further regulatory announcements, as the situation may continue to evolve.

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