The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has removed crypto assets from its 2026 examination priorities, indicating a significant shift in focus for the regulatory agency. The SEC’s newly released plan does not mention cryptocurrency at all, suggesting the sector is no longer considered a dedicated risk category. This decision comes after years of aggressive enforcement against crypto businesses and following the approval of Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, which are steadily bridging the gap between digital assets and traditional finance. The focus has shifted towards cybersecurity and new technologies, such as artificial intelligence and automated investment tools, as per the SEC’s updated priorities. The agency will now prioritize how firms prevent and recover from cyber incidents like ransomware attacks.