The US Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission signed a memorandum of understanding on March 11 to formalise cooperation on digital asset regulation and reduce years of jurisdictional rivalry.
The agreement establishes coordination across six priority areas including a shared crypto-asset taxonomy, harmonised regulatory frameworks, coordinated enforcement actions and streamlined reporting for firms operating under both regulators.
“For decades, regulatory turf wars, duplicative agency registrations, and different sets of regulations between the SEC and CFTC have stifled innovation and pushed market participants to other jurisdictions,”
Said SEC Chairman, Paul Atkins.
The memorandum also introduces operational measures such as joint meetings, data-sharing protocols, advance notifications on jurisdictional disputes and cross-training programmes between agency staff.
CFTC Chairman Michael Selig said the agency is preparing guidance on issues including whether non-custodial software developers must register with regulators, the classification of perpetual futures and rules for leveraged retail crypto transactions.
The initiative follows the launch of the regulators’ joint Project Crypto programme earlier in 2026 and reflects a broader effort to harmonise oversight as lawmakers continue debating federal crypto legislation.
The cooperation agreement arrives while the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act remains stalled in the Senate Banking Committee, leaving regulators to coordinate oversight while awaiting potential statutory authority from Congress.