SEC, CFTC Clear Path for BTC, ETH and Top Cryptos on US Exchanges

Key Takeaways

• Top U.S. exchanges could soon list products for major cryptocurrencies.
• The SEC and CFTC are now coordinating to provide guidance to market participants.
• Both agencies believe that registered exchanges aren’t prohibited from offering “certain” spot commodity products.

Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other top cryptocurrencies could soon find their way onto the biggest exchanges in the U.S. as part of a joint effort between the nation’s securities regulator and commodities watchdog.

Better Together

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodity Futures Exchange Commission (CFTC) have announced a cross-agency initiative that will see them work together and attempt to establish further regulatory clarity for crypto, and also reduce jurisdictional overlap.

More specifically, they’ll work to issue guidance that could see major exchanges such as Nasdaq and the NYSE list leveraged, margined, or financed spot retail commodity transactions using crypto assets such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and others.

SEC Chairman Paul Atkins wrote in a statement :

“Market participants should have the freedom to choose where they trade spot crypto assets. The SEC is committed to working with the CFTC to ensure that our regulatory frameworks support innovation and competition in these rapidly evolving markets.”

Ultimately, this could see BTC, ETH, and other digital assets listed on the biggest exchanges in the country.

The announcement says the duo is “ready” to engage and support market participants to pursue listing “certain spot crypto asset products,” and have opened their doors for discussion.

Project Crypto

The development strengthens the agencies’ individual initiatives—the SEC’s Project Crypto and the CFTC’s Crypto Sprint.

For years, the two regulators have been at odds, often taking conflicting approaches to the crypto industry.

The SEC has largely treated cryptocurrencies as securities, while the CFTC has viewed many as commodities.

CFTC Acting Chairman Caroline D. Pham said these “mixed signals” sent a clear message: “Innovation was not welcome.”

This fragmentation created a regulatory headache for crypto firms and investors—one that now appears closer to resolution.

The move builds on Donald Trump’s broader ambitions to make the U.S. a leader in digital assets, which have already seen significant progress.

Still, as this latest initiative highlights, the industry continues to lack the clarity it truly needs.

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