SEC says liquid staking activities and tokens are not securities

US Securities and Exchange Commission does not consider certain liquid staking activities and tokens as securities, the agency has announced. The SEC’s announcement comes after the Commission’s Division of Corporation Finance stated the matter on Aug. 5, 2025. What has SEC said about liquid staking? According to the SEC’s press release, liquid staking, a process where crypto assets are staked to support blockchain network operations while remaining liquid for trading or other uses, does not make the activity or tokens involved securities. Given this view, liquid staking providers do not need to register the offers with the SEC. SEC Chairman Paul Atkins commented on the statement: “Under my leadership, the SEC is committed to providing clear guidance on the application of the federal securities laws to emerging technologies and financial activities. Today’s staff statement on liquid staking is a significant step forward in clarifying the staff’s view about crypto asset activities that do not fall within the SEC’s jurisdiction. I am pleased that the SEC’s Project Crypto initiative is already producing results for the American people.” The announcement has attracted positive remarks from across the crypto industry, with stakeholders noting that the move provides further regulatory clarity. It also buoys the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem, where staking activities are a key segment. Notably, this sector is attracting huge institutional interest as investors eye spot crypto ETFs . The SEC’s guidance comes as liquid staking, which allows users to stake tokens in proof-of-stake blockchains like Ethereum and Solana, but retain ownership of the staked assets. By clarifying that these activities are not securities transactions, the SEC is offering much-needed clarity and will strengthen the adoption trends. “It’s what we’ve been waiting for,” said Rebecca Rettig, legal advisor at Jito Labs. According to Rettig, liquid staking does not create a securities transaction as there’s no entrepreneurial or managerial activities. Crypto regulation in the US The SEC’s statement is the latest in a slew of announcements and activities that have seen the crypto industry laud the efforts of the new regulatory approach under President Donald Trump. Some of the efforts include the SEC’s Crypto Task Force, led by Commissioner Hester Peirce, and SEC Chair Atkin’s Project Crypto, announced last week. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently said the United States was in a crypto “golden age”, while Trump signed a major stablecoin bill into law. As well as the SEC, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and other regulatory entities are also working to help achieve Trump’s vision of making America the crypto capital of the world. The post SEC says liquid staking activities and tokens are not securities appeared first on Invezz

Source: Invezz