The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is expanding its outreach to the cryptocurrency industry through a new national tour by its Crypto Task Force, aimed at gathering feedback from early-stage crypto startups and underrepresented stakeholders.
The initiative follows a series of five roundtables held earlier this year in Washington, D.C., and complements the hundreds of written submissions already received by the agency.
Led by Commissioner Hester Peirce, the Crypto Task Force will visit ten U.S. cities between August and December. Stops include Berkeley (Aug. 4), Boston (Aug. 19), Dallas (Sept. 4), Chicago (Sept. 15), New York City (Sept. 25 and Nov. 12), Irvine (Oct. 3), Cleveland (Oct. 24), Scottsdale (Oct. 29), and Ann Arbor (Dec. 5).
The roundtables are designed to create more opportunities for voices that may not have been heard during the D.C. sessions, particularly those outside of major financial centers or without established lobbying networks.
The SEC is prioritizing engagement with crypto-related projects that have fewer than 10 employees and are less than two years old. Interested parties must submit a request via email with details about their team and project.
To promote transparency, the task force will publish a list of participating projects, though confidential treatment can be requested.
The SEC emphasized that while not all requests may be accommodated, written input remains welcome and will continue to inform the agency’s evolving approach to digital asset regulation.
The Crypto Task Force’s road tour underscores the SEC’s effort to widen its regulatory lens beyond high-profile crypto firms. By directly engaging with smaller startups and developers in local markets, the commission signals a shift toward inclusive policy consultation.
Analysts said this move may help the SEC address persistent criticism that its regulatory process overlooks innovators who lack access to Washington-based advocacy.
With crypto policy still fragmented across agencies, the insights gathered through this tour could shape future proposals for a clearer, more responsive regulatory framework, industry experts said.
