CryptoLink Newsletter - May 2025

In May 2025, the leadership from the SEC provided guidance on digital asset regulation in several keynote addresses and round tables. The SEC's activities in May 2025 suggest a deliberate movement towards establishing a more clearly defined regulatory framework for digital assets. On May 12, 2025, SEC Chairman Paul Atkins provided the keynote address at the Crypto Task Force Roundtable on Tokenization. Chairman Atkins focused on the SEC’s aim to “develop a rational regulatory framework for crypto asset markets,” consistent with President Trump’s goal to make the United States the “crypto capital of the planet.” Moreover, the SEC dismissed several crypto-related enforcement actions, including cases against Binance and a resolution of the Ripple matter. This aligns with a shift towards regulatory reform rather than solely relying on enforcement to guide the industry. Last, the SEC demonstrated its continued commitment to pursuing fraud-based enforcement actions, as seen by its charges against the founder of Zero Edge, an online casino platform, for misappropriating millions of investor funds, as well as its charges against the crypto start up, Unicoin Inc., and its executives in connection with an offering fraud scheme.