Crypto Task Force Written Input

Please find written input submissions to the Crypto Task Force below. The written input is posted without modification. We hope sharing the submissions will help encourage productive dialogue and continued engagement. Please note that the “Key Points” and “Topics” are AI generated. AI can make mistakes, and the Key Points and Topics are not a replacement for you reading the submissions. The Crypto Task Force has not reviewed these AI-generated summaries for accuracy or completeness. If you believe a Key Point or Topic is inaccurate, please email the Crypto Task Force at crypto@sec.gov. The written input provided to the SEC and posted on this page does not necessarily reflect the views of the Crypto Task Force or others in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Date Written Input Topic(s) Key Points
Matthew B. Comstock, Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP

RE: Special Purpose Broker-Dealers and Financial Responsibility Matters 		Custody, RFI Responses, Safe Harbor, Security Status, Trading
  • The Digital Chamber (TDC) requests the SEC to issue permanent guidance and amend existing rules to clarify how Special Purpose Broker-Dealers (SPBDs) and other broker-dealers may custody crypto asset securities and non-security crypto assets.
  • TDC advocates for a technology-neutral, principles-based approach to broker-dealer custody of crypto asset securities, ensuring exclusive control over such assets through various methods, including key sharding and multi-signature wallets.
  • TDC requests the SEC to confirm that all broker-dealers, including SPBDs, may custody non-security crypto assets and facilitate trading in both crypto asset securities and traditionally represented securities.
CoinShares International Limited

RE: It’s Time to Modernize the RIC Tax Rules 		Crypto ETPs, Crypto Lending, Custody, Public Offerings, Safe Harbor, Security Status, Tokenization, Trading
  • Ease the asset diversification requirements in Subchapter M to allow more flexibility for funds.
  • Expand the types and amounts of income that funds can receive without losing regulated investment company (RIC) status.
  • Modify the RIC excise tax distribution requirements to reduce compliance costs impacting investment returns.


 
Superstate Inc.

Response to Crypto Task Force: Digital Transfer Agent -- Moving Securities and Markets from Analog to Digital 		Custody, Public Offerings, Regulatory Sandbox, Safe Harbor, Security Status, Tokenization, Trading
  • The letter emphasizes that existing securities regulations are fully consistent with the tokenization and integration of blockchain technology within the securities markets.
  • It highlights the role of digital transfer agents in enabling the integration of registered and exempt securities by recording and tracking ownership within decentralized finance (DeFi).
  • The letter asserts that tokenized securities, supported by digital transfer agents, can improve market transparency, efficiency, and corporate governance while ensuring re
Orca Creative

Response to thCrypto Task Force’s Request for Comment: Regarding Project Open 		Custody, Regulatory Sandbox, Safe Harbor, Security Status, Tokenization, Trading
  • Orca Protocol is not classified as an exchange, broker, dealer, or clearing agency under the Exchange Act.
  • Orca Protocol operates autonomously and does not involve third-party custody, discretionary control, or intermediation.
  • Orca Protocol supports a principle-based regulatory framework that emphasizes transparency, autonomy, and user control.
Solana Policy Institute (by Lowenstein Sander LLP)

Public blockchain infrastructure for on-chain equities issuance and trading 		Custody, Public Offerings, Regulatory Sandbox, Safe Harbor, Security Status, Tokenization, Trading
  • Covered Blockchain Networks and Validators do not fall within the definitions of "clearing agencies," "exchanges," or "brokers" under the Exchange Act.
  • Validators on a Covered Blockchain Network do not act as intermediaries in the payment or delivery of securities and do not perform the intermediary functions characteristic of a CCP or clearing agency.
  • The on-chain infrastructure ensures that securities transactions are direct, transparent, and settled on a gross, peer-to-peer basis, with no centralized intermediation, custody, or netting.
Solana Policy Institute

Response to the Crypto Task Force’s Request for Comment: Regarding Project Open 		Custody, Public Offerings, Regulatory Sandbox, Safe Harbor, Security Status, Tokenization, Trading
  • The Solana Policy Institute argues that validators on the Solana network do not trigger registration requirements under securities laws.
  • Phantom Technologies Inc. asserts that non-custodial wallet software does not require broker-dealer registration.
  • Orca Creative claims that its AMM protocols do not function as securities intermediaries.
Alan Konevsky, tZERO Group, Inc.

Re: Crypto Task Force Meeting with tZERO Group, Inc. – Follow-Up Notes 		Custody, Safe Harbor, Security Status, Trading
  • Establish permanent guidance and rules for broker-dealer self-custody of digital asset securities, building on the SPBD Statement.
  • Clarify the manner in which broker-dealers can retail, custody, and quote non-security crypto assets on alternative trading systems.
  • Issue new guidance to clarify the definition of a digital asset security and its compliance requirements.
Nilmini Rubin, Hedera

Subject: Comments on the SEC Crypto Task Force’s Questions Concerning Safe Harbor from Registration 		RFI Responses, Safe Harbor, Security Status, Tokenization
  • The Hedera Council supports the establishment of a token safe harbor to provide regulatory certainty and transparency for new and existing companies in the digital asset industry.
  • The Council suggests modifying the definition of Network Maturity to include decentralized governance coordinated through a legal entity, termed as a "Decentralized Wrapper," to protect participants from general liability.
  • The Council advocates for retroactive availability of the safe harbor contingent upon full compliance with disclosure requirements to enhance market transparency and investor protection.
Kecheng Lai, Knowpia Inc.

Recommendation Letter - From End User Distribution to Social Mining: Evolving Frameworks for Token Dissemination and Community Engagement in the Digital Asset Economy 		Safe Harbor, Security Status, Tokenization, Trading
  • The "End User Distribution" concept is designed to distribute digital commodities without constituting an offer or sale of a security or commodity.
  • "Social Mining" allows users to earn tokens through non-financial contributions, directly linking token issuance to platform value creation.
  • The STO+ framework proposes a dual-nature token model, where tokens transition from utility to security status based on specific conditions.
Rebecca Kacaba, DealMaker

Re: Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC” or “Commission”) Crypto Task Force (the “Task Force”) Invitation For Public Commentary Regarding Public Offerings Of Crypto Assets, Safe Harbor From Registration and Tokenization 		Public Offerings, RFI Responses, Safe Harbor, Tokenization, Trading
  • DealMaker emphasizes that Regulation A provides a strong foundation for crypto asset offerings and suggests removing the $75 million cap to better accommodate high-growth, capital-intensive sectors.
  • The letter advocates for adaptable disclosure requirements tailored to crypto assets, focusing on risk and ongoing managerial efforts to enhance investor protection.
  • DealMaker supports clear guidance on secondary market trading for tokenized assets, including federal preemption of state law compliance for secondary trading through registered systems.