The chairman of the U.S. SEC hinted that the focus on cryptocurrency regulation will be rapidly advanced at the beginning of the new year, stating that "the best is yet to come."

According to The Block, SEC Chairman Paul Atkins stated, "The best is yet to come. As for next year, all the seeds we have sown will begin to sprout and grow, and we will be able to reap the fruits then," as the agency faces a series of new cryptocurrency policy priorities for the new year.

Atkins has laid out an ambitious agenda aimed at clarifying the agency's stance on cryptocurrencies. He revealed that one of the top priorities for the new year will be an "innovation exemption" for crypto and fintech projects—this is a conditional and time-limited regulatory exemption framework designed to reduce compliance costs and encourage innovation. He expressed hope to officially launch the framework around the end of January.

Regarding the issue of token classification, he has turned his attention to Capitol Hill. Lawmakers are working to push a comprehensive bill to regulate cryptocurrencies, one of the core elements of which is to clarify the jurisdictional boundaries between the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Previously, it was reported that the Senate is making a strong push for the bill, hoping to pass it through the key Senate Banking Committee before the end of the year, but negotiations do not seem to be progressing smoothly. Atkins said, "We look forward to the legislative outcomes from Congress."