The U.S. SEC has issued new guidance on liquid staking that is being hailed across the crypto industry as a major regulatory milestone. For the first time, the agency has clarified that under specific conditions, liquid staking activities — and the receipt tokens they generate — do not constitute securities offerings. This pivotal interpretation, released Tuesday, has sparked optimism among DeFi platforms, developers, and institutional investors looking to expand into digital assets with greater regulatory clarity . Liquid staking allows users to deposit cryptocurrencies into third-party protocols and receive staking receipt tokens in return. These tokens can be traded or used in decentralized finance (DeFi) applications without having to wait through unstaking periods. Lucas Bruder, CEO of Jito Labs, applauded the agency’s nuanced position, stating that it aligns with the understanding his team shared during discussions with the Crypto Task Force earlier this year. Meanwhile, institutional interest in staking continues to grow , with Solana stakeholders recently writing to the SEC urging support for liquid staking-related exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Not Everyone at the SEC Is on Board While the regulator’s updated stance has been met with industry approval, it is not without internal controversy. Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw voiced dissent, cautioning that the guidance is built on questionable assumptions and offers limited legal certainty. Still, many legal experts believe the framework offers a starting point for compliance efforts in an evolving sector. Bitwise’s general counsel, Katherine Dowling, noted that the guidance makes it clear: not all liquid staking activities involve securities, and therefore some may not require SEC registration. Howey Test and Regulatory Boundaries The key factor lies in how the activities measure up against the Howey Test, the longstanding legal benchmark for determining what constitutes a security. According to the SEC, staking providers that perform only “administrative or ministerial” roles—such as issuing receipt tokens that reflect ownership of staked assets—may be exempt from registration. These tokens, referred to in the document as “staking receipt tokens,” are central to liquid staking operations and could now be more safely integrated into broader financial products. Although concerns remain, the guidance represents a rare moment of alignment between regulators and the crypto industry, offering hope for more structured, innovation-friendly oversight in the future. The post SEC Guidance Marks Breakthrough for Liquid Staking in U.S. Crypto Regulation appeared first on TheCoinrise.com .
