On Thursday, the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Corporation Finance quietly issued new guidance confirming that several proof-of-stake services — including self-staking, staking-as-a-service, and even enhanced offerings like slashing protection and custom rewards — are not considered securities transactions.
The guidance marks a major shift in how the SEC interprets staking activity and is arguably one of the biggest regulatory wins of this administration.
A Sharp Turn from Gensler-Era Policy
The SEC’s updated stance represents a major break from its prior position under former Chair Gary Gensler, who repeatedly suggested that many forms of crypto staking could be securities offerings.
Under the notion that staking services resembled similar security rewards, such as dividends paid from publicly traded companies, the SEC cracked down on major projects such as Ethereum, Coinbase. Popular crypto exchange Kraken even had to settle a $30 million fine and completely shut down its U.S. staking program in 2023.
What Changed?
The updated guidance was issued just hours after the CLARITY Act was introduced on Capitol Hill—a bill that aims to reframe digital assets as “digital commodities” and hand oversight responsibilities to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
The new SEC guidance brings much-needed clarity for platforms that offer staking-as-a-service, as well as for individuals who stake tokens through wallets or validators.
It also signals a broader shift in how U.S. regulators approach decentralized technologies. The fear that staking might be outlawed or over-regulated now seems to be fading, especially as Congress pushes for more tailored rules through bills like the CLARITY Act.
With hearings scheduled for June 4 and a markup planned for June 10, Washington appears more ready than ever to offer crypto the regulatory clarity it’s been asking for—staking included.
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