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The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has given its approval for the trading of tokenized stocks on Wall Street. This marks the beginning of crypto stocks in the American financial markets. The SEC's decision comes just two days after the U.S. Senate blocked comprehensive regulations for crypto assets, following Democrats' refusal to support Republican legislation without a carve-out for a bailout fund that President Donald Trump is using for these assets.

In the absence of a universal regulatory framework, the U.S. market regulator has decided to provide the crypto industry with a green light to operate for five years through an Innovation Exemption, exempting the trading of certain tokenized stocks from the usual regulatory burden. The SEC Chair, Paul S. Atkins, declared in a statement that the move will allow the industry to trade tokenized stocks in a controlled environment while the Commission evaluates the need for additional measures to facilitate the trading of assets based on blockchain technology.

As the first step in this significant move, the SEC invites public comments on all aspects of the Innovation Exemption so that the Commission can make informed decisions when considering future changes. The regulation, which takes effect immediately, imposes registration and liquidity requirements on the platforms trading these new crypto assets.

Additionally, trading of tokenized stocks will require explicit permission from the issuers of traditional securities. Other innovations include the potential for a 24/7 open market, allowing stocks to be traded continuously while Wall Street sleeps.