SEC Chair Paul Atkins has announced that an innovation exemption for cryptocurrency firms is scheduled to be introduced on roughly a one‑month timeline. In a recent CNBC interview, he said the agency has sufficient authority to advance this measure quickly, aiming to provide immediate regulatory relief while lawmakers continue to work on a broader market structure bill for digital assets. Atkins has framed the initiative as a way to give crypto firms a clearer, more flexible regulatory pathway in the near term. The exemption is expected to reduce friction around token issuance, trading, and experimentation, pending more comprehensive legislation. He indicated that the move is intended to support innovation in the U.S. crypto sector rather than push activity offshore. In a speech at the New York Stock Exchange, Atkins reiterated that he expects the agency’s innovation exemption for cryptocurrencies to be released “in a month or so,” aligning the timing with expectations for early 2025 regulatory relief following his recent appointment. He characterized the exemption as part of a broader deregulatory agenda to revive U.S. capital markets and encourage capital formation. Alongside the crypto initiative, Atkins is pushing for reforms to revive the U.S. IPO market. He has called for easing IPO rules and reducing compliance burdens for smaller companies, arguing that excessive regulatory costs have discouraged firms from going public in U.S. markets. The SEC under his leadership is exploring adjustments to disclosure, listing, and ongoing reporting requirements to make public markets more attractive, especially for emerging growth companies. [Update 1] Added details from Atkins’ NYSE speech clarifying that the crypto innovation exemption is expected “in a month or so,” tying the timeline to early 2025, and highlighting his focus on deregulation, reduced compliance burdens for small firms, and broader efforts to revive U.S. public and IPO markets.