SEC and CFTC plan joint DeFi roundtable on Sept. 29

The two regulators want to “harmonize” product definitions and reporting standards, with a public event scheduled for Sept. 29 in Washington, D.C.

• Aim to “harmonize” definitions, reporting standards, and margin frameworks
• Key priorities: 24/7 markets, event contracts, perpetuals, DeFi, innovation exemptions
• SEC + CFTC clarify: current law doesn’t block registered U.S. exchanges from listing certain spot crypto asset products
• Event will be open to public + webcast live on SEC’s site
• Part of SEC’s Project Crypto + CFTC’s Crypto Sprint efforts
• Builds on President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets recommendations
• Fed also hosting October conference on stablecoins + tokenization

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) are stepping up coordination around digital assets, announcing a joint roundtable on Sept. 29 in Washington, D.C. The meeting will explore how the agencies can better align regulation of innovative products like perpetual contracts, DeFi platforms, and 24/7 markets.

In a joint statement Friday, the agencies said they would explore harmonizing product and venue definitions, streamlining reporting and data standards, aligning capital and margin frameworks, and potentially creating coordinated innovation exemptions under their existing authorities.

The event will run from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., be open to the public, and livestreamed on the SEC’s website. A full agenda and participant list will be published later.

Earlier this week, the two regulators clarified that nothing in current U.S. law prevents registered exchanges from listing and facilitating trading of certain spot crypto asset products — a move meant to provide greater clarity to market participants. Firms are encouraged to engage directly with SEC and CFTC staff.

“It is a new day at the SEC and the CFTC,” said SEC Chair Paul Atkins and CFTC Acting Chair Caroline Pham. “By working in lockstep, our two agencies can harness our nation’s unique regulatory structure into a source of strength for market participants, investors, and all Americans.”

The roundtable is part of the SEC’s Project Crypto and the CFTC’s Crypto Sprint, both efforts to update U.S. markets for the digital asset era. It also builds on recommendations from the President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets report. Meanwhile, the U.S. Federal Reserve is set to host its own October conference on stablecoin business models and tokenization of financial products and services.

Final Thought

With both agencies moving toward regulatory alignment, the Sept. 29 roundtable could mark a turning point in how DeFi, perpetual contracts, and 24/7 markets are treated in the U.S. — signaling a shift toward clearer, coordinated oversight.