U.S. SEC delays crypto regulation meeting, possibly mindful of Clarity Act

A report says the White House asked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to delay a planned meeting on crypto regulation.

On Aug. 18, foreign media including blockchain outlets CoinPost and Crypto in America reported that the White House was concerned the SEC’s discussion of crypto fundraising rules and its review of exemptions related to securities-token trading could complicate congressional negotiations over the Clarity Act.

The delayed meeting was to launch the formal process for adopting a new rule on crypto fundraising called Regulation Cryptoassets. The SEC has also been pursuing an “innovation exemption” that would allow securities tokens to trade without being subject to existing disclosure rules and investor protection regulations. The industry is focusing on the point that both issues directly intersect with the Clarity Act, which covers crypto fundraising and tokenised securities together.

The schedule change is seen as driven more by regulatory coordination with politics than by the SEC’s internal procedures. Industry officials said the White House requested the delay after concluding the two regulatory issues could affect bill negotiations. With the Clarity Act set to face a Senate procedural vote in mid-September, there is also a view that the administration sought to align with legislative talks rather than rush separate regulatory steps.