Blockchain Coalition Presses SEC to Codify Digital Commodity and Staking Guidance
Six blockchain organizations signed a letter asking the SEC to include digital commodity classification, staking, and secondary-market trading in its proposed Regulation Crypto Assets framework. They want these issues addressed through formal rules rather than interpretive guidance, citing uncertainty about when securities laws apply. The request follows a March SEC-CFTC categorization and a comment period that drew more than 100 responses.
The signers include Chainlink Labs, the Cardano Foundation, Hedera, Aptos Labs, Ava Labs and the Stellar Development Foundation. They want the SEC’s draft Regulation Crypto Assets to address digital commodity status, staking, and secondary trading directly, rather than leaving these questions to interpretive guidance.
The request follows a March SEC-CFTC document that sorted crypto assets into five groups and discussed mining, staking and staking receipt tokens. The SEC proposal, introduced in August, drew over 100 comments and offered registration exemptions for certain token sales, including up to $5 million for startups and $75 million over 12 months.
Clearer SEC rules could affect crypto developers, token issuers, exchanges and investors by reducing uncertainty over when securities laws apply. Formal treatment of staking and secondary trading may shape compliance costs, product availability and retail access. The UK’s parallel DeFi consultations could also influence how firms design cross-border services, potentially affecting users who rely on decentralized platforms.