SEC Publishes Draft Strategic Plan for Public Comment

The Securities and Exchange Commission today published a Draft Strategic Plan that focuses on returning the agency to the core mission set by Congress more than 90 years ago: 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 S. Atkins. "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 three goals set forth in the Draft Strategic Plan:

1. Renew our 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.
   
2. Shift our 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.
   
3. Optimize our operational efficiency by enhancing our organizational structure, modernizing our 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 comprehensive 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.

Members of the public who wish to provide their views on the Draft Strategic Plan may submit comments through any of the following methods:

Electronic Comments:

Use the Commission's internet comment form or send an email to
[email protected].

Paper Comments:

Send paper comments to Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549-1090.

All submissions should refer to File Number DSP-3. This file number should be included on the subject line if email is used. Please submit comments using one method only. Information received will be posted on the SEC's website without change. Individuals submitting comments are cautioned that personal identifying information will not be redacted or edited from comment submissions. Submit only information that you wish to make publicly available. Submitted material that is obscene or subject to copyright protection may be redacted in part or withheld entirely from publication. Comments should be submitted no later than July 2, 2026.

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In developing the Draft Strategic Plan, the SEC took into account the information gleaned from meetings with the many external parties with which the agency interacts on a regular basis, including members of Congress and congressional committees, investors, businesses, financial market participants, academics, and other experts and stakeholders.