SEC and CFTC Use Regulatory Authority to Expand Crypto Access After CLARITY Act Stalls

WHY IT MATTERS

In the United States, there are two main ways rules get made: Congress passes a law, or government agencies create rules using powers they already have. Think of it like a school — the school board (Congress) can create new policies, but the principal (agencies like the SEC and CFTC) can also set certain rules within their existing authority. The SEC oversees stocks and similar investments, while the CFTC oversees commodities like oil and wheat. Both have claimed some authority over different types of crypto. When Congress failed to pass a law clarifying how crypto should be regulated, these two agencies decided to act on their own. For people new to crypto, this matters because the rules governing how you can buy, sell, and use digital assets in the U.S. are being shaped by agency decisions that could change with future administrations, rather than by a more permanent law.