CFTC Launches ‘Crypto Sprint’ to Speed Up U.S. Digital Asset Regulation

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The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has announced a new initiative called “Crypto Sprint” aimed at accelerating digital asset regulatory reforms and boosting innovation in the sector. The program will be carried out in collaboration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Acting CFTC Chair Caroline Pham said the project will implement recommendations from the President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets report. She confirmed that the CFTC will work closely with SEC Chair Paul Atkins and Commissioner Hester Peirce under Project Crypto to deliver clearer rules and better market oversight.

The Crypto Sprint will address several priority areas, including defining legal rights for individuals to self-custody digital assets, setting compliance standards for banks engaging in cryptocurrency business, and expanding the CFTC’s oversight to cover spot markets for digital assets classified as commodities.

The initiative follows a 160-page report from the President’s Working Group, which recommended modernizing regulations, closing jurisdictional gaps, and encouraging greater institutional participation in the cryptocurrency market.

This move marks a shift from enforcement-driven oversight to a more coordinated regulatory approach. The CFTC has already withdrawn outdated advisories, launched its first Crypto CEO Forum, and advanced efforts on 24/7 trading and perpetual derivatives contracts.

Pham emphasized that the CFTC’s goal is to foster innovation while safeguarding market integrity. By coordinating with the SEC, the agency aims to streamline licensing procedures, reduce ambiguity, and build a balanced framework that encourages growth while protecting investors.

The SEC’s own Project Crypto is designed to modernize securities regulations for digital assets by clarifying token classifications, improving custody standards, and integrating tokenized securities into U.S. capital markets. Together, the two agencies aim to provide the regulatory clarity the crypto industry has long sought.