The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is approaching the release of an innovation-focused exemption intended to enable limited onchain trading of tokenized securities within a clearly cabined and compliant framework. The revelation comes from remarks by SEC Chair Paul Atkins at the Economic Club of Washington, signaling a deliberate step toward regulated experimentation in tokenized markets while the agency continues to flesh out longer-term rules. According to Cointelegraph’s coverage of the remarks, the exemption would provide a structured pathway for market participants to facilitate trading of blockchain-based securities without altering the agency’s broader securities framework.

In remarks that have drawn attention across regulatory and market circles, Atkins described the move as a pragmatic mechanism to facilitate regulated activity in tokenized markets in the near term, even as the commission works toward more comprehensive, future rules. “We are on the cusp of releasing what I call an ‘innovation exemption,’ which will provide market participants with a cabined framework to begin facilitating the trading of tokenized securities onchain in a compliant fashion as the Commission works toward long-term rules of the road,” he said. The November timing and the framing as a temporary, work-in-progress measure reflect a balance between investor protection and practical market development.

The exemption would not grant a broad license to tokenize securities, but would establish a controlled pathway for entities seeking to support onchain trading of digital securities. It aims to unblock limited pilot activities that could yield insights into how existing securities laws apply to blockchain-enabled markets, while preserving a strong supervisory framework. Atkins’ comments come after months of SEC deliberations on how tokenized securities should fit within the agency’s jurisdiction and how markets might operate under a clearer, interim structure. As context, he noted in July 2025 that the agency had been weighing targeted relief to support tokenization and new trading methods, underscoring a phased approach rather than an immediate overhaul of securities law.

Earlier, Commissioner Hester Peirce indicated that staff were still developing the exemption, seeking to balance experimentation with careful assessment of how onchain markets interact with current securities statutes. These discussions are part of the SEC’s larger project to clarify digital asset classifications and their regulatory treatment, as the agency continues to refine its approach to tokenized instruments while pursuing longer-term policy objectives.

Key takeaways

• The SEC is nearing an “innovation exemption” to permit cabined, onchain trading of tokenized securities within a compliant framework.
• The exemption would create a structured pathway for firms to facilitate tokenized securities trading as the SEC develops longer-term rules.
• The move builds on the agency’s token taxonomy guidance and its broader effort to delineate which digital assets fall under securities laws.
• The White House is reviewing the related interpretive guidance, with a formal decision still pending as of the latest updates.
• Market participants—exchanges, issuers, broker-dealers, and banks—will need to align compliance programs, licensing considerations, and AML/KYC processes with the evolving framework.

Strategic rationale behind the innovation exemption

The proposed exemption represents a measured attempt to address real-world constraints that have limited the growth of tokenized securities in the United States. By providing a cabined framework, the SEC seeks to enable permissible experimentation with blockchain-based trading while ensuring investor protection, auditability, and ongoing regulatory oversight. The approach acknowledges a regulatory gap: tokenized securities can leverage the benefits of distributed ledgers and programmable settlement, yet lack a clear, interim path for compliant operation. The exemption is intended as a practical stepping stone, allowing market participants to explore onchain mechanics, settlement, disclosure, and oversight within defined guardrails as the SEC implements longer-term rulemaking.

We are on the cusp of releasing what I call an “innovation exemption,” which will provide market participants with a cabined framework to begin facilitating the trading of tokenized securities onchain in a compliant fashion as the Commission works toward long-term rules of the road.

According to Cointelegraph’s reporting on Atkins’ remarks, the emphasis is on a controlled, up-and-running pilot path rather than an open-ended market license. The approach is intended to reduce regulatory ambiguity, support orderly transitions from traditional markets to tokenized equivalents, and inform subsequent rulemaking through practical experience. In this framing, the exemption serves as a bridge between today’s securities framework and tomorrow’s potentially tokenized market structure.

Regulatory scaffolding: taxonomy, guidance, and interagency process

The development of an innovation exemption sits within the SEC’s broader effort to clarify how digital assets are treated under federal securities laws. In March, the agency issued interpretive guidance that outlined a token taxonomy, categorizing digital assets into digital commodities, collectibles, tools, and stablecoins, with tokenized securities placed under the SEC’s core jurisdiction. The taxonomy was described as a long-overdue clarifying step intended to delineate when securities laws apply to onchain activities and how the SEC intends to coordinate with other regulators, notably the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

The interpretive guidance was presented as a transitional tool ahead of potential market-structure legislation and as a means to establish clearer lines of authority in the evolving digital-asset landscape. In late March, the agency circulated the proposed interpretation to the White House for review, a step that regulators commonly take before formal publication. As of the latest records, the proposal remained under White House consideration, illustrating the cross-cutting nature of tokenized markets and the need for interagency alignment. The ongoing review underscores the regulatory complexity and the potential for cross-border differences in treatment of digital assets, including how MiCA and similar frameworks may interact with U.S. policy goals.

In parallel, SEC officials and commentators have framed the taxonomy as a bridge to future market structure legislation and as a means to delineate the SEC’s role relative to the CFTC. Atkins has described the taxonomy as a necessary, long-overdue step toward clearer rules for digital assets, signaling that the agency’s stance is moving toward greater clarity even as it pursues incremental, testable reforms in the near term. The White House review and potential alignment with broader international standards are likely to influence the precise scope and conditions of any innovation exemption.

Implications for market participants and compliance programs

For exchanges, broker-dealers, asset managers, and banking counterparts, the proposed exemption signals a shift from theoretical policy debates to pragmatic, rules-based experimentation. If adopted, the cabined framework would require firms to implement enhanced controls around onboarding, AML/KYC, trade reporting, collateral management, and disclosures—areas where the SEC has consistently emphasized investor protection and market integrity. Compliance programs would need to stay adaptable, balancing rapid experimentation with robust risk management, and ensuring alignment with continuing rulemaking and enforcement priorities.

The exemption would also have implications for licensing and supervisory oversight. As tokenized securities trading onchain expands, firms may require specific registrations or exemptions under the Securities Act, along with ongoing supervision by the SEC. Cross-border participants could face additional considerations, given diverging regulatory approaches in other jurisdictions and the EU’s MiCA framework, which adds another layer to global coordination on tokenized markets. The approach aims to reduce the risk of regulatory gaps, but it also raises questions about the timing, scope, and sequencing of enforcement actions as activities scale beyond pilot phases.

From an enforcement and compliance perspective, the interim nature of the exemption means firms should monitor evolving guidance, interpretive interpretations, and White House decisions closely. The pathway emphasizes transparency, recordkeeping, and clear delineation of the activities permitted under the cabined framework. Market participants may need to adjust internal controls to differentiate between permitted tokenized trading and activities that remain outside the exempted scope, ensuring that participation remains within regulatory boundaries while contributing data and experience to inform longer-term policy design.

Closing perspective

The push toward an innovation exemption highlights a deliberate, regulator-led balance between enabling structured experimentation in tokenized securities and preserving core investor protections. As White House review progresses and the SEC’s token taxonomy guidance continues to shape jurisdictional boundaries, market participants should prepare for a transitional period in which pilot activity informs future rulemaking, licensing requirements, and cross-agency coordination. The coming months will reveal how progressively clarified rules will interact with ongoing developments in both U.S. policy and global regulatory approaches, including MiCA considerations and cross-border supervision.

Ten months ago, Eric Trump was posting on X about how much he loved Justin Sun. This week, he’s likening a lawsuit from Sun to the infamous $6 million duct-taped banana.

Sun filed a complaint Monday in the Northern District of California, accusing World Liberty Financial of illegally freezing roughly four billion $WLFI tokens worth around $1 billion. The Trump-family-backed DeFi venture’s informal Tuesday response dismissed the suit as a “desperate” deflection and pledged to keep protecting its users, with co-founder Zach Witkoff accusing Sun of “misconduct.”

Neither he nor the company spelled out Sun’s alleged misconduct. A spokesperson for the firm declined to comment, instead referring CoinDesk to Witkoff and fellow co-founder Eric Trump’s posts on X.

The complaint itself may fill in the blanks. Sun alleged that World Liberty leveled a shifting set of accusations against him in private conversations and correspondence, none of which, he argued, the company has backed up with evidence.

According to the filing, World Liberty has at various points blamed Sun for the roughly 40% price crash $WLFI experienced on Sept. 1, 2025, the first day the token became tradable.

WLFI also claimed Sun drove down the price by short-selling perpetual futures on a centralized exchange, according to Sun’s complaint, an accusation Sun said is false, and that the complaint notes would be difficult to pin on him, given his transfers happened hours after the steepest drop.

World Liberty separately objected to Sun’s $100 million purchase of $TRUMP tokens from a different Trump-backed project, according to the filing, but Sun said this buy got the blessing of a Trump family member who is a partner in both ventures.

The company allegedly also accused Sun of acting as a straw purchaser for other investors in violation of his token purchase agreement, executing prohibited transfers to the exchanges HTX and Binance and submitting inadequate know-your-customer documentation, according to the filing.

“On September 25, 2025, Mr. Herro repeatedly threatened to report Mr. Sun to U.S. criminal authorities over these unspecified KYC issues — which Mr. Herro and World Liberty have refused to explain in anything other than the broadest terms despite repeated requests from Plaintiffs for additional information,” Tuesday’s filing said.

WLFI has yet to file a response to Sun’s suit.

Bitcoin BTC$77,888.82 has pulled back slightly after briefly approaching the $80,000 mark on Tuesday.

At the time of writing, it was trading at $77,794, still up 0.4% over the past 24 hours, after hitting a peak of $79,388 before gradually easing lower during the overnight session.

The 24-hour low of $77,464 was set Thursday morning, meaning the full range of the move was about $1,900. Ether (ETH) slipped 0.7% to $2,344, XRP (XRP) fell 1.7% to $1.42, solana (SOL) dropped 1.5% to $85.83, and BNB declined 0.6% to $635.

Brent crude held above $95 a barrel as the U.S. maintained its naval blockade on ships going to and from Iranian ports while Iran kept the Strait closed to almost all other international traffic. Iranian gunboats fired on commercial ships in the waterway on Wednesday.

Trump’s April 7 ceasefire remains in place “indefinitely,” but Vice President JD Vance’s planned Tuesday trip to Islamabad was called off after Iran declined to send a delegation. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump has not set a firm deadline for an Iranian proposal.

The divergence in the top 10 backs the positioning read. Bitcoin is up 4% on the week, every other major is within 2% either direction, with ether and solana actually down.

When a rally concentrates in one asset while the rest of the complex fades, the source of the bid is usually narrow rather than broad.

Bitpanda CEO Lukas Enzersdorfer-Konrad took the opposite view, arguing the overnight push toward $80,000 signals digital asset industry maturity and resilience backed by institutional participation and clearer regulatory frameworks.

That framing is harder to reconcile with a market where bitcoin is leading alone amid thin altcoin participation and where funding rates have been negative for roughly 47 consecutive days, one of the longest stretches of bearish derivatives positioning on record.

A slide below $76,000 would mean the $79,388 high printed the top for this leg, and the next move requires either genuine Iran progress or a shift in the funding rate picture that pulls real capital back in.

TLDR

• SoFi Bank now allows customers to deposit XRP through its regulated crypto platform.
• Ripple stated that broader access supports long-term growth and strengthens XRP utility.
• SoFi operates under a nationally chartered bank regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.
• The platform charges a flat 1% fee on every crypto trade executed within the app.
• Users must fund a SoFi Checking and Savings account before trading crypto assets.

SoFi Bank has enabled XRP deposits within its crypto platform, expanding regulated access for retail customers. Ripple welcomed the move and linked broader availability to long-term ecosystem growth. The update allows users to fund accounts, trade digital assets, and manage holdings in one app.

XRP Enters SoFi’s Regulated Crypto Platform

SoFi confirmed that customers can now deposit XRP through its crypto service. The platform already supports Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana. Therefore, users can manage multiple assets within a single mobile application.

The company operates through SoFi Bank, N.A., which the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency regulates. This structure places XRP access inside a federally chartered banking framework. As a result, customers interact with the asset through a regulated financial institution.

Ripple addressed the development in a post on X. The company stated that “broader access is key to long-term growth.” It added that availability through platforms like SoFi helps strengthen XRP’s utility and ecosystem participation.

SoFi explained that users must fund a SoFi Checking and Savings account before trading. After funding, the platform converts cash into stablecoins such as USDC to execute transactions. This process allows trades to settle efficiently within the system.

The company charges a flat 1% fee on every crypto trade. The execution price may include a small spread between market and transaction prices. This structure locks in rates when users place orders.

Customers can open accounts without monthly maintenance or opening fees. The process requires identity verification, including name, address, and Social Security number. Consequently, the onboarding process follows standard banking compliance procedures.

Broader XRP Adoption Expands Across Platforms

Ripple highlighted that expanding access supports long-term ecosystem development. The company said easier entry points encourage broader participation in the network. It maintained that utility grows as more platforms integrate the asset.

Rakuten recently added XRP support through Rakuten Wallet. The integration allows payments, trading, and loyalty point conversion within its ecosystem. Therefore, millions of users can access XRP services directly.

Exodus also expanded support for the XRP Ledger within its wallet services. The company introduced enhanced wallet tools and RLUSD integration. These updates increase functionality for users holding XRP-based assets.

Bitget Wallet integrated XRPL payment options and cross-chain features. The wallet also enabled QR-based payments and card transactions using XRPL infrastructure. Binance also expanded XRPL liquidity with RLUSD deposits, withdrawals, and new trading pairs.

SoFi’s integration now places XRP within another mainstream financial channel. The bank confirmed deposit support as part of its existing crypto offering. With this rollout, customers can access XRP directly through a regulated banking app.