The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has published a draft strategic plan for fiscal years 2026 to 2030 that sets out Chairman Paul Atkins' proposed direction for the agency. The plan centers on three shifts: refocusing regulatory policy on innovation, capital formation, market efficiency, and investor protection; moving regulatory practice toward greater engagement with market participants and an enforcement program aimed at established law violations such as fraud and manipulation; and improving the SEC's own efficiency through reorganization, technology upgrades, and performance management reforms. On policy, the draft calls for a clearer framework for digital assets and distributed ledger technology, including the application of securities law, tokenized offerings, custody, trading, staking, and SEC and Commodity Futures Trading Commission jurisdiction. It also points to simpler disclosures, broader access to private markets, updated shelf registration, and changes to Regulation A to support smaller issuers. On regulatory practice, the SEC would increase staff engagement with business and industry groups, carry out retrospective reviews of rules including those on foreign private issuers, executive compensation, quarterly and private fund reporting, and assess its administrative law framework in light of recent judicial decisions. Operational priorities include consolidating duplicative functions, reviewing legacy systems such as EDGAR, using artificial intelligence and blockchain tools responsibly, and introducing internal reporting tied to resources and program outcomes. The SEC is seeking public comment on the draft plan through July 2, 2026. The document states that it reflects the chairman's vision for the next four years, was developed with input from all commissioners, and may not necessarily represent the views of all commissioners.

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