The chair of the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Paul Atkins, has forecasted that the entire American financial market could transition to blockchain technology within two years. This prediction comes amid fluctuating bitcoin prices and growing interest in tokenization. Atkins emphasized the benefits for transparency and risk management.
Paul Atkins, the new chair of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), recently shared an optimistic outlook on blockchain's role in finance during an interview on Fox Business. He stated, “It’s the way the world will be [in] not just 10 years but maybe as little as two years.” Atkins highlighted the upcoming advancements in digital assets, digitalization, and tokenization, noting they would deliver “huge benefits” for transparency and risk.
This vision aligns with broader industry trends. Bitcoin's price has been volatile, surging toward $100,000 after dipping below $80,000 following a Federal Reserve warning, and briefly reaching $126,000 in October before drifting lower. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has been a vocal proponent of tokenization, comparing its current stage to the internet in 1996, when Amazon sold just $16 million in books. In a piece for The Economist, Fink wrote, "Tokenisation could advance at the pace of the internet—faster than most expect, with enormous growth over the coming decades."
Fink views BlackRock's 2023 launch of a spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) as the initial step toward a tokenized financial revolution, aiming to democratize access to investments. Supporting this momentum, crypto asset manager Hashdex reported in its 2026 outlook that tokenized Treasury bills on public blockchains exceed $8 billion, up from $700 million two years ago. The firm projects the tokenized assets market will expand to nearly $400 billion by the end of 2026, from its current $36 billion.
Atkins's comments mark a shift from the previous SEC leadership under Gary Gensler, which was often critical of cryptocurrencies. In a recent move, Atkins announced an “innovation exemption” for crypto issuers, set to launch in January, allowing these instruments to enter the market without full SEC registration. He affirmed, “It’s a new day and we want to embrace this new technology.” This framework signals a more welcoming regulatory environment for blockchain innovations.