American crypto regulation horizon starts clearing up. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has proposed a new framework for crypto assets. Meanwhile, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) is moving to clarify how some digital assets could be treated in financial statements.
The SEC announced its proposed Regulation Crypto Assets on August 18, 2026. The proposal would make it easier for some crypto companies to raise money in the U.S. without following the full securities registration process. The SEC says the new rules would provide clearer options for crypto businesses while still protecting investors.
Under one proposed exemption, issuers could offer up to $5 million over a four-year period. A second exemption would allow offerings of up to $75 million in any 12-month period. Nevertheless, it comes with additional requirements, such as financial statements and ongoing reporting. Both routes would require issuers to provide investors with narrative disclosures.
The proposal also includes a conditional safe harbor. In simple terms, qualifying crypto assets could eventually fall outside the legal definition of a security for certain purposes if the conditions of the safe harbor are met. The SEC said the proposed rules could also reduce incentives for crypto companies to operate offshore if there is a clearer U.S. regulatory path available in the home market.
The SEC’s proposal is still open to public comment for 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, in practice, meaning the framework could change before any final rules are adopted.
Separately, FASB is addressing a different but increasingly important question: whether certain digital assets can qualify as cash equivalents under U.S. accounting rules.
FASB is also looking at how some digital assets should be treated in company accounts. The Board wants to make it clearer when certain digital assets can be counted as cash or cash equivalents.
It also wants companies to give investors more detail about these assets in their financial reports, instead of showing them only as part of one combined cash figure.
The FASB proposal is particularly relevant as companies increasingly hold stablecoins and other digital assets for payments, treasury management and liquidity. However, the Board’s current decisions are not yet accounting requirements. FASB has directed its staff to prepare a proposed Accounting Standards Update, subject to a 90-day public comment period.
