SEC chairman calls for blockchain-based instant stock settlement

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Paul Atkins stated that the stock settlement system should be converted to an instant (T+0) framework, calling blockchain technology a key tool to bridge the gap between asset delivery and clearing. Speaking at the Bitcoin 2026 Conference, he also addressed the criteria for determining whether a cryptocurrency is a security. Atkins argued that the classification should depend on the issuer's substantive investment promise rather than the token's technical format. He further suggested that if a cryptocurrency is listed and traded separately from the issuer's investment promise, it should no longer be subject to disclosure obligations under securities law.