SEC Proposes Easing Crypto Issuers’ Fundraising Rules, With Annual Cap of $75 Million

The US Securities and Exchange Commission is proposing to ease fundraising rules for cryptocurrency issuers, with the plan outlined by SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce in a statement on Aug. 18. The proposal includes a startup exemption and a fundraising exemption that would let crypto issuers raise up to $75 million every 12 months, while requiring financial statement disclosure and ongoing disclosures. Existing federal securities laws, including bans on fraud and market manipulation, would remain in force, and the plan would create fundraising pathways tailored to crypto rather than applying existing securities rules unmodified.