The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is deepening its focus on the crypto and financial technology industries, announcing a new series of roundtables to advance regulatory clarity around digital assets. 

The agency’s Crypto Task Force, launched earlier this year, confirmed Monday that it will hold four additional public roundtables between April and June, each addressing specific regulatory challenges in the crypto ecosystem.

Four Crypto Roundtables: Dates and Topics

The next roundtable will take place on April 11 under the title “Between a Block and a Hard Place: Tailoring Regulation for Crypto Trading.” This will be followed by a session on April 25, “Know Your Custodian: Key Considerations for Crypto Custody.” 

On May 12, the discussion will shift to “Tokenization—Moving Assets Onchain: Where TradFi and DeFi Meet,” and the series will conclude on June 6 with “DeFi and the American Spirit.”

All sessions will be held at SEC headquarters in Washington, DC, and will be open to the public, with livestreaming available via SEC’s website. The commission expects a wide range of voices at these events, including industry experts, academics, and policy professionals. 

The goal, according to the SEC, is to tackle the uncertainty that continues to cloud the treatment of digital assets under US securities law.

More on the Byteline: SEC’s crypto task force launches roundtable series on regulation

This next wave of dialogue follows the task force’s first roundtable, held on March 21, titled “How We Got Here and How We Get Out—Defining Security Status.” That inaugural session delved into the SEC’s long-standing reliance on the Howey Test to classify crypto assets, sparking debate among panelists over whether the current legal framework is fit for purpose in a blockchain-driven world.

The SEC’s Crypto Task Force was formally established on January 21, under Acting Chair Mark Uyeda. Its core mission is to develop a more transparent and practical regulatory framework for crypto, aiming to shift the agency’s approach from one centered primarily on enforcement to one that includes open public engagement. 

Uyeda has been vocal about the need for thoughtful dialogue with the industry, emphasizing at the March 21 event that the Commission isn’t just seeking to restrict crypto innovation but to understand what is—and isn’t—working within the current system.

SEC Turns Attention to AI

While crypto remains a priority, the SEC is also directing attention toward artificial intelligence, a technology that is rapidly transforming the financial sector. 

On March 27, the agency will host a full-day roundtable titled “Artificial Intelligence in the Financial Industry.” Running from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, the event will explore the benefits, risks, and governance challenges of integrating AI into the financial system.

Opening remarks will be delivered by Acting Chair Uyeda, alongside Commissioners Hester Peirce and Caroline Crenshaw. 

The event will feature four panel discussions throughout the day, examining how AI is currently used across the financial industry, how it may be exploited for fraud or cybersecurity breaches, what frameworks can guide AI governance, and what the future may hold as AI technologies mature.

Among the panelists are representatives from leading financial firms and institutions such as JP Morgan, Nasdaq, BlackRock, Morgan Stanley, Charles Schwab, Vanguard, and the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation. Experts from academia and legal circles — including MIT, the University of Pennsylvania, and law firm Paul Weiss — will also share insights on the evolving AI landscape.

In line with the SEC’s recent efforts to broaden public participation in rulemaking and oversight, the agency is encouraging individuals and organizations to submit comments and feedback on both crypto regulation and the use of AI in finance. These submissions will be made publicly available and may inform future policy decisions.

For those unable to attend in person, both the crypto and AI roundtables will be streamed live on the SEC’s website. In-person attendees must register in advance and adhere to security protocols at the SEC’s Washington headquarters.