The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) introduced a draft strategic plan that seeks to return the agency to its core mission.
The agency outlined that core mission as protecting investors; maintaining fair, orderly, and efficient markets; and facilitating capital formation.
“During my tenure as chairman, the commission will not stray from this core three-part mission, and the Draft Strategic Plan focuses on three important goals to advance our mandate,” said SEC Chairman Paul Atkins, said. “I encourage market participants and the general public to provide comment on best practices to ensure our regulatory framework upholds the United States as the best and most secure place to do business.”
The draft strategic plan sets forth three primary goals.
- Renew the regulatory policy focus to support innovation, capital formation, market efficiency, and investor protection. This goal promotes clear, fit-for-purpose rules that foster responsible innovation and deter misconduct. Modernizing and simplifying disclosure practices, expanding access to private markets, and enabling new capital-raising pathways are essential to ensuring that entrepreneurs and small businesses can thrive. One objective is to provide a firm regulatory foundation for digital assets and distributed ledger technologies through a rational, coherent, and principled approach.
- Shift the regulatory practices to increase stakeholder engagement, facilitate compliance efforts of market participants, and effectively return our enforcement approach to Congress’ original intent This goal seeks to increase staff engagement with business and industry groups while restoring an enforcement approach that polices violations of established law such as fraud and manipulation rather than expanding regulatory reach through ad hoc enforcement actions. Other objectives include periodic, retrospective reviews of existing rules as well as an assessment of the agency’s administrative law framework.
- Optimize operational efficiency by enhancing the organizational structure, modernizing technology, reforming employee performance management, and implementing robust internal performance reporting that incorporates accountability for resources and program success. This goal prioritizes technology modernization as a critical enabler of regulatory effectiveness. A review of legacy systems – such as EDGAR – and the adoption of secure, scalable infrastructure will enhance data integrity, reduce operational risk, and support advanced analytics. The responsible use of artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies can further improve oversight, reduce costs, and unlock new efficiencies.
The draft strategic plan can be found on the SECʻs website.
The public is invited to provide feedback on the Draft Strategic Plan. They can submit comments through the commission’s internet comment form or send an email to rule-comments@sec.gov. They can also mail comments to: Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission at 100 F Street NE/Washington, D.C./20549-1090.
All submissions should refer to File Number DSP-3. The file number should be included on the subject line if email is used. Comments should be submitted no later than July 2, 2026