SEC Publishes Crypto Custody Guidelines For Retail Investors

The US government continues to advocate for cryptocurrency adoption after the Securities and Exchange Commission published a retail investor guide centered around various means of custody. In the bulletin released on Friday, the SEC provides a detailed education on the available ways investors can safeguard their cryptocurrency investments and the associated risks.

SEC Addresses Crypto Custody As Regulatory Acceptance Takes Shape

The Donald Trump-led administration has taken multiple steps in supporting the growth of the digital asset industry in line with the US President’s electoral manifesto. Under the current crypto-friendly stance, the US SEC has adopted a more accommodating regulatory approach compared to the regulation-by-enforcement strategy seen under the Biden administration.

This shift has led to several key developments, including the formation of a dedicated task force, the termination of multiple lawsuits initiated under Biden’s crackdown, and the launch of a new regulatory initiative known as “Project Crypto.” In another encouraging move towards the nascent industry, the regulator has recently released a set of guidelines on proper custody of cryptocurrency.

In this document, the SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Assistance defines a crypto asset as “an asset that is generated, issued, and/or transferred using a blockchain or similar distributed ledger technology network, including assets known as ‘tokens,’ ‘digital assets,’ ‘virtual currencies,’ and ‘coins.’” 

Meanwhile, custody is defined as how and where investors store and access their crypto assets. The Commission touches on the importance of private keys, which they define as an alphanumeric code that allows users to gain access to their digital assets using programs known as crypto wallets. The US regulators also drew comparisons between self-custody and third-party custody, highlighting their peculiarities in terms of control and security responsibility. Other aspects of crypto custody discussed by the SEC include types of crypto wallets (hot and cold), seed phrase, and public key.

Crypto Community Reacts To SEC’s Educational Efforts

Unsurprisingly, the SEC’s published bulletin on crypto custody has drawn applause from many crypto enthusiasts. For example, a market analyst with X username X Finance Bull describes the custody education post as another lever of regulatory acceptance. 

The analyst said: 

The SEC just released an official guide on crypto asset custody for retail investors. Months after dropping the $XRP case, the posture keeps shifting. from resistance to education. I’ve seen this movie before. This is what quiet acceptance looks like.

At press time, the total crypto market cap is valued at $3.04 trillion, after a minor 0.29% growth in the past day.