Atkins Delivers Remarks on SEC Priorities and Accomplishments

In October, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Paul Atkins delivered remarks at the Economic Club of Dallas and focused on the SEC’s principles and recent accomplishments. Chair Atkins noted that under his leadership the SEC was moving back towards “First Principles” as well as “clearing the regulatory overgrowth that has hindered the prosperity of our capital markets.” He noted three specific areas of focus: IPOs, digital assets, and corporate governance. In easing the burden of “going-public,” Chair Atkins highlighted the SEC’s proposals involving optional semi-annual reporting, registered offering and filer status reform, as well as a proposal to rescind the Gensler-era climate rule for corporate issuers. Chair Atkins stated, “From the beginning of 2025 through the first half of 2026, more than 580 companies have gone public, up 75 percent from the final year and a half of the Biden administration.”

Regarding the SEC’s work on digital assets, Chair Atkins highlighted the regulatory framework put forth as a way to provide greater clarity around how the securities laws apply to cryptocurrency assets. Atkins noted that this proposal combined with the “Innovation Exemption” which allows “certain forms of onchain trading of tokenized securities within an appropriately regulated framework,” have provided market participants with tailored rules in the crypto space.

Last, Chair Atkins highlighted the SEC’s work on corporate governance and returning rights to the state-level by proposing to rescind Rule 14a-8 dealing with shareholder proposals. He stated, “rescinding the rule should give States, including Texas, both the legal clarity and the lasting confidence to implement their own ideas for a sensible shareholder proposal framework, sparking the forces of competition to help them attract more companies.”   

Click here to read Chair Atkins’ remarks at the Dallas event.