The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced that its innovation exemption policy for cryptocurrency companies will be implemented starting January 1, 2026. This policy, part of the Project Crypto initiative, offers a 12- to 24-month exemption from full SEC registration for entities involved in crypto asset development, including exchanges, DeFi protocols, stablecoin issuers, and DAOs. During the exemption period, these projects must adhere to simplified disclosure requirements and basic regulatory standards, such as Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) procedures, along with quarterly reporting. The policy also introduces a four-tier classification system for digital assets, which has sparked discussions about its alignment with decentralized principles, especially within the DeFi sector.