The SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) is the U.S. federal agency that enforces securities laws, regulates securities markets and intermediaries, and protects investors—covering stocks, bonds and securities-based products. The CFTC (Commodity Futures Trading Commission) is the independent U.S. agency that regulates derivatives markets (futures, swaps and certain commodities markets) and enforces rules to ensure market integrity and protect market participants. Both agencies oversee different parts of the U.S. financial system and sometimes have overlapping jurisdiction where products have features of both securities and commodities.
Paul S. Atkins is the 34th chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (sworn in April 21, 2025); he previously served as an SEC commissioner (2002–2008) and has a long background in securities regulation and private-sector financial policy. Michael S. Selig is the Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC); as CFTC chair he leads that agency’s work on derivatives, futures, swaps and crypto-related markets. (Biographical detail beyond those roles is available in each agency’s official bios and confirmation records.)
“Harmonization” here means the two agencies working to align rules, interpretations, oversight practices and coordination so market participants face clearer, more consistent regulation across SEC and CFTC responsibilities—not a merger of the agencies. In crypto this typically focuses on clarifying which tokens or activities are treated as securities (SEC) versus commodities/derivatives (CFTC) and reducing conflicting or duplicative requirements.
Authority is divided by product and function: the SEC regulates securities and securities markets (e.g., tokenized securities, offers of investment contracts), while the CFTC regulates commodities and derivatives (e.g., commodity tokens, futures and swap markets). Many crypto assets and platforms have features of both, so jurisdiction can overlap—e.g., an asset treated as a security for token-sales may also underlie derivatives the CFTC oversees—leading to shared enforcement and coordination in practice.
The CFTC event page says the Jan. 27 session will be open to the public and webcast live on the CFTC website (no online registration required); it also provides the event agenda. The SEC press release announced the event as well. The press release does not say whether a transcript will be posted; if posted, transcripts or recordings are typically published afterwards on the CFTC or SEC websites or their press/event pages.
Concrete outcomes could include coordinated guidance, joint statements, aligned enforcement priorities, memoranda of understanding, or harmonized rulemaking proposals—short of an agency merger those are the usual tools to reduce conflicting requirements. Any formal rule changes would follow notice-and-comment rulemaking (for CFTC rules) or SEC rulemaking processes and could take months to years.
Harmonization could give retail investors clearer protections and disclosures, reduce compliance complexity for exchanges and crypto firms (fewer conflicting rules, single points of contact), and encourage market innovation in the U.S. by lowering regulatory uncertainty. It could also mean stricter oversight for some products reclassified as securities or for derivatives tied to crypto. The exact effects would depend on the specific guidance or rule changes the agencies adopt.