# SEC Clarifies Liquid Staking Activities Are Not Securities ▴ News

**Published:** 2025-08-06
**Categories:** News

---

The recent statement from the U.S. [Securities and Exchange Commission](https://prime.greeks.live/area/securities-and-exchange-commission/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite) fundamentally reconfigures the regulatory landscape for [liquid staking](https://prime.greeks.live/area/liquid-staking/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite) protocols. This guidance provides a critical layer of clarity, reducing systemic ambiguity that previously constrained institutional participation. It directly impacts market liquidity by de-risking certain on-chain activities, fostering increased capital allocation into these decentralized financial instruments. The clarification establishes a more predictable operating environment, which is essential for the integration of digital asset derivatives into traditional financial architectures.

This move also reflects a strategic shift within the regulatory body, demonstrating an adaptive approach to emergent blockchain technologies and their inherent market structures. The directive sets a precedent for future interpretations of digital asset classifications, influencing the evolution of derivative product offerings.

The SEC’s liquid staking clarification significantly reduces regulatory friction, promoting enhanced liquidity and broader institutional engagement within the digital asset derivatives ecosystem.

- **Regulatory Body** ▴ U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

- **Total Value Locked in Liquid Staking** ▴ Nearing $67 billion

- **Impacted Legal Frameworks** ▴ Securities Act of 1933, Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Signal Acquired from ▴ <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/sec-certain-liquid-staking-activities-securities-laws?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Cointelegraph</a> 

![A metallic ring, symbolizing a tokenized asset or cryptographic key, rests on a dark, reflective surface with water droplets. This visualizes a Principal's operational framework for High-Fidelity Execution of Institutional Digital Asset Derivatives](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/high-fidelity-institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-protocol-execution.jpg)

![A sophisticated, modular mechanical assembly illustrates an RFQ protocol for institutional digital asset derivatives. Reflective elements and distinct quadrants symbolize dynamic liquidity aggregation and high-fidelity execution for Bitcoin options](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-protocol-architecture.jpg)

## Glossary

<a href="https://prime.greeks.live/area/securities-and-exchange-commission/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite" class="glossary-item-box">
![Geometric shapes symbolize an institutional digital asset derivatives trading ecosystem. A pyramid denotes foundational quantitative analysis and the Principal's operational framework](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-execution-system-microstructure.jpg)

## Securities and Exchange Commission

Meaning ▴ The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is the principal federal regulatory agency in the United States, established to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient securities markets, and facilitate capital formation. </a><a href="https://prime.greeks.live/area/liquid-staking/?utm_source=options.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite" class="glossary-item-box">
![Precision-engineered institutional grade components, representing prime brokerage infrastructure, intersect via a translucent teal bar embodying a high-fidelity execution RFQ protocol. This depicts seamless liquidity aggregation and atomic settlement for digital asset derivatives, reflecting complex market microstructure and efficient price discovery](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-protocol-prime-os-core.jpg)

## Liquid Staking

Meaning ▴ Liquid Staking is a mechanism within proof-of-stake blockchain ecosystems that enables users to stake their cryptocurrency to support network operations while retaining access to a liquid representation of their staked assets. </a>

**Tags:** [Investment Contract](https://options.greeks.live/area/investment-contract/), [Liquid Staking](https://options.greeks.live/area/liquid-staking/), [Digital Assets](https://options.greeks.live/area/digital-assets/), [Regulatory Framework](https://options.greeks.live/area/regulatory-framework/), [Decentralized Finance](https://options.greeks.live/area/decentralized-finance/), [Protocol Staking](https://options.greeks.live/area/protocol-staking/)	

## Discover More

- 
### [Presidential Pardon Issued for Binance Founder Changpeng Zhao](https://options.greeks.live/news/presidential-pardon-issued-for-binance-founder-changpeng-zhao/)
![Abstract clear and teal geometric forms, including a central lens, intersect a reflective metallic surface on black. This embodies market microstructure precision, algorithmic trading for institutional digital asset derivatives. It visualizes RFQ protocols driving high-fidelity execution, price discovery, and liquidity aggregation within a robust Prime RFQ for portfolio margin and atomic settlement.](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-protocol-execution-prime-os.jpg)

This executive action recalibrates the regulatory framework, signaling a systemic shift in the U.S. posture toward digital assets.

- 
### [SEC Clarifies Liquid Staking Rules, Bolstering Institutional Crypto Market Structure](https://options.greeks.live/news/sec-clarifies-liquid-staking-rules-bolstering-institutional-crypto-market-structure/)
![A refined object, dark blue and beige, symbolizes an institutional-grade RFQ platform. Its metallic base with a central sensor embodies the Prime RFQ Intelligence Layer, enabling High-Fidelity Execution, Price Discovery, and efficient Liquidity Pool access for Digital Asset Derivatives within Market Microstructure.](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/prime-os-rfq-protocols-for-digital-asset-derivatives-execution.jpg)

Regulatory clarity on liquid staking enhances systemic market stability, enabling robust institutional capital deployment into digital asset protocols.

- 
### [Executive Order Integrates Crypto into US 401(K) Retirement Plans](https://options.greeks.live/news/executive-order-integrates-crypto-into-us-401k-retirement-plans/)
![A sleek, institutional-grade system processes a dynamic stream of market microstructure data, projecting a high-fidelity execution pathway for digital asset derivatives. This represents a private quotation RFQ protocol, optimizing price discovery and capital efficiency through an intelligence layer.](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/institutional-rfq-digital-asset-derivatives-execution-microstructure-prime-os.jpg)

This policy shift establishes a new pathway for digital asset integration into institutional retirement frameworks, enhancing portfolio diversification potential.

- 
### [Institutional Ethereum ETFs Record Unprecedented Weekly Capital Outflow](https://options.greeks.live/news/institutional-ethereum-etfs-record-unprecedented-weekly-capital-outflow/)
![A polished, dark spherical component anchors a sophisticated system architecture, flanked by a precise green data bus. This represents a high-fidelity execution engine, enabling institutional-grade RFQ protocols for digital asset derivatives. It embodies the precision of private quotation and efficient latent liquidity aggregation within market microstructure, crucial for optimal capital efficiency.](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/precision-engineered-institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-core.jpg)

The institutional fund architecture for digital assets displays stress, revealing tactical re-positioning by major capital allocators.

- 
### [Trump Order Integrates Crypto into Retirement Accounts](https://options.greeks.live/news/trump-order-integrates-crypto-into-retirement-accounts/)
![A sleek, metallic, X-shaped object with a central circular core floats above mountains at dusk. It signifies an institutional-grade Prime RFQ for digital asset derivatives, enabling high-fidelity execution via RFQ protocols, optimizing price discovery and capital efficiency across dark pools for best execution.](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/advanced-principal-rfq-protocol-architecture-for-institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-optimal-price-discovery-and-execution.jpg)

This directive fundamentally reconfigures the institutional investment landscape, providing a clear pathway for digital assets into established retirement frameworks and enhancing capital allocation optionality.

- 
### [Tether Launches USAT Amidst U.S. Non-Legal Tender Clarification](https://options.greeks.live/news/tether-launches-usat-amidst-u-s-non-legal-tender-clarification/)
![Two sleek, abstract forms, one dark, one light, are precisely stacked, symbolizing a multi-layered institutional trading system. This embodies sophisticated RFQ protocols, high-fidelity execution, and optimal liquidity aggregation for digital asset derivatives, ensuring robust market microstructure and capital efficiency within a Prime RFQ.](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/institutional-grade-digital-asset-derivatives-platform-architecture-high-fidelity-execution-protocols-and-liquidity-aggregation.jpg)

The USAT launch, concurrent with federal non-recognition and insurance disclaimers, necessitates a recalibrated risk assessment for institutional integration.

- 
### [SEC Guidance Clarifies Liquid Staking for Institutional DeFi Engagement](https://options.greeks.live/news/sec-guidance-clarifies-liquid-staking-for-institutional-defi-engagement/)
![Abstractly depicting an Institutional Digital Asset Derivatives ecosystem. A robust base supports intersecting conduits, symbolizing multi-leg spread execution and smart order routing. Floating spheres represent diverse liquidity pools and crypto derivatives, emphasizing market microstructure and capital efficiency via RFQ protocols.](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-execution-engine-optimization.jpg)

This regulatory clarity on liquid staking protocols provides a foundational framework for scalable institutional integration within decentralized finance ecosystems.

- 
### [CFTC Advances Stablecoin Collateral Use in Derivatives Markets](https://options.greeks.live/news/cftc-advances-stablecoin-collateral-use-in-derivatives-markets/)
![Central nexus with radiating arms symbolizes a Principal's sophisticated Execution Management System EMS. Segmented areas depict diverse liquidity pools and dark pools, enabling precise price discovery for digital asset derivatives. Circular markers denote RFQ participants, ensuring high-fidelity execution of institutional block trades within complex market microstructure.](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/institutional-digital-asset-derivatives-prime-os-rfq-liquidity-orchestration.jpg)

This initiative systematically integrates tokenized assets into established derivatives frameworks, optimizing capital efficiency and mitigating counterparty risk for institutional participants.

- 
### [Google Backs TeraWulf with $3 Billion for AI Infrastructure Expansion](https://options.greeks.live/news/google-backs-terawulf-with-3-billion-for-ai-infrastructure-expansion/)
![A central crystalline RFQ engine processes complex algorithmic trading signals, linking to a deep liquidity pool. It projects precise, high-fidelity execution for institutional digital asset derivatives, optimizing price discovery and mitigating adverse selection.](https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/prime-os-rfq-protocols-high-fidelity-digital-asset-derivatives-execution.jpg)

This strategic capital infusion from Google into crypto mining infrastructure establishes a new paradigm for scalable AI computing resources.

---

## Raw Schema Data

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
    "itemListElement": [
        {
            "@type": "ListItem",
            "position": 1,
            "name": "Home",
            "item": "https://options.greeks.live"
        },
        {
            "@type": "ListItem",
            "position": 2,
            "name": "News",
            "item": "https://options.greeks.live/news/"
        },
        {
            "@type": "ListItem",
            "position": 3,
            "name": "SEC Clarifies Liquid Staking Activities Are Not Securities",
            "item": "https://options.greeks.live/news/sec-clarifies-liquid-staking-activities-are-not-securities/"
        }
    ]
}
```

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "Organization",
    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization",
    "name": "Greeks.Live",
    "url": "https://greeks.live/",
    "description": "Greeks.live is the definitive toolkit for the professional options trader, dedicated to empowering our users with institutional-grade data, advanced analytics, and a comprehensive suite of trading tools designed to provide a decisive edge in the market. Every article and guide published under the Greeks.live name is a product of our deep commitment to data-driven analysis and our mission to support the global trading community.",
    "email": "support@greeks.live",
    "logo": {
        "@type": "ImageObject",
        "url": "https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Greeks.Live-Logo-Icon.svg"
    },
    "hasPart": [
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "name": "About Us",
            "url": "https://about.greeks.live"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "name": "App Download Page",
            "url": "https://about.greeks.live/#/download/basic_trade"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "name": "Newcomers' Guide",
            "url": "https://twisty-sign-c8b.notion.site/Guide-for-Greeks-live-X-Deribit-Newbies-5a08a3052822427d800af6eaf3704c8d"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "name": "Knowledge Base",
            "url": "https://linktr.ee/greeks.live"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "name": "Option Terminology",
            "url": "https://greekslive.notion.site/88dfc00e7c584d4d8969b6302a79a12f?pvs=4"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "name": "Terms of Service",
            "url": "https://greeks.live/#/tos"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "name": "Disclaimer",
            "url": "https://greeks.live/#/disclaimer"
        }
    ],
    "sameAs": [
        "https://x.com/greekslive",
        "https://youtube.com/@greeks_live?si=-KjT0Lkw4WUCI0tD",
        "https://t.me/greekslive_notifications",
        "https://t.me/greekslive",
        "https://pinterest.com/greekslive/"
    ],
    "makesOffer": [
        {
            "@type": "Offer",
            "itemOffered": {
                "@type": "Service",
                "name": "RFQ Platform",
                "url": "https://rfq.greeks.live",
                "description": "Execute institutional-grade block trades for crypto options and futures. This platform provides deep, over-the-counter (OTC) liquidity via a professional Request for Quote system.",
                "provider": {
                    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Offer",
            "itemOffered": {
                "@type": "Service",
                "name": "Lending Tools",
                "url": "https://lend.greeks.live",
                "description": "Manage crypto lending and borrowing activities to earn yield or secure loans. This suite of tools helps users analyze interest rates and manage collateralized debt positions.",
                "provider": {
                    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Offer",
            "itemOffered": {
                "@type": "Service",
                "name": "Data Lab",
                "url": "https://greeks.live/#/deribit/tools/datalab/BTC",
                "description": "Analyze historical and real-time options data with advanced metrics. This tool is designed for backtesting strategies and identifying market trends through comprehensive data visualization.",
                "provider": {
                    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Offer",
            "itemOffered": {
                "@type": "Service",
                "name": "Profit & Loss Analysis (PnL)",
                "url": "https://greeks.live/#/deribit/tools/pnl_analysis",
                "description": "Track and analyze the Profit and Loss (PnL) of your options portfolio. This tool provides detailed performance metrics to help traders evaluate and refine their strategies.",
                "provider": {
                    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Offer",
            "itemOffered": {
                "@type": "Service",
                "name": "Position Visualization",
                "url": "https://greeks.live/#/deribit/tools/pv/BTC",
                "description": "Visualize complex options positions and their corresponding risk profiles. This tool generates payoff diagrams to help traders intuitively understand potential profit, loss, and exposure.",
                "provider": {
                    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Offer",
            "itemOffered": {
                "@type": "Service",
                "name": "Options Calculator",
                "url": "https://greeks.live/#/deribit/tools/calculator",
                "description": "Calculate the theoretical price and risk parameters ('the Greeks') of crypto options. An essential tool for pricing new trades and analyzing the sensitivity of existing positions.",
                "provider": {
                    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Offer",
            "itemOffered": {
                "@type": "Service",
                "name": "Greeks.live Main Platform",
                "url": "https://greeks.live/",
                "description": "The central hub for the Greeks.live suite of professional cryptocurrency options and derivatives trading tools. Access analytics, manage positions, and explore the ecosystem.",
                "provider": {
                    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Offer",
            "itemOffered": {
                "@type": "Service",
                "name": "Community Forum",
                "url": "https://t.greeks.live",
                "description": "Join the official Greeks.live community. Connect with other traders, share insights, and receive the latest updates directly from the team.",
                "provider": {
                    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Offer",
            "itemOffered": {
                "@type": "Service",
                "name": "Greeks.live for Deribit",
                "url": "http://deribit.greeks.live",
                "description": "A dedicated interface for trading on the Deribit exchange. This platform leverages Greeks.live's advanced analytics and tools specifically for users of Deribit's options and futures markets.",
                "provider": {
                    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Offer",
            "itemOffered": {
                "@type": "Service",
                "name": "Greeks.live for OKX",
                "url": "http://okx.greeks.live",
                "description": "A dedicated interface for trading on the OKX exchange. This platform integrates Greeks.live's powerful analytics with the OKX marketplace, focusing on its options and derivatives products.",
                "provider": {
                    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Offer",
            "itemOffered": {
                "@type": "Service",
                "name": "GLVS.AI Trading Platform",
                "url": "https://www.glvs.ai/",
                "description": "An AI-powered platform for automated crypto options trading. Leverage advanced algorithms and data-driven signals to develop and deploy sophisticated, hands-free trading strategies.",
                "provider": {
                    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Offer",
            "itemOffered": {
                "@type": "Service",
                "name": "API Testnet & Sandbox",
                "url": "https://test.greeks.live",
                "description": "A dedicated testnet environment for developers to test their API integrations and automated trading strategies. This sandbox allows for full functionality testing without risking real funds.",
                "provider": {
                    "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
                }
            }
        }
    ],
    "subOrganization": [
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "name": "GreeksLive HK Co., Limited",
            "email": "support@greeks.live",
            "telephone": "+852-56418949",
            "address": {
                "@type": "PostalAddress",
                "streetAddress": "Unit 11, 27/F, K. Wah Centre, 191 Java Road",
                "addressLocality": "Hong Kong",
                "addressRegion": "North Point",
                "addressCountry": "CN",
                "postalCode": "0000"
            },
            "geo": {
                "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
                "latitude": "22.2932357",
                "longitude": "114.2022026"
            },
            "image": "https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Wah-Centre-Hong-Kong.jpg"
        }
    ]
}
```

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "Article",
    "mainEntityOfPage": {
        "@type": "WebPage",
        "@id": "https://options.greeks.live/news/sec-clarifies-liquid-staking-activities-are-not-securities/"
    },
    "headline": "SEC Clarifies Liquid Staking Activities Are Not Securities \u25b4 News",
    "description": "This regulatory clarification provides a robust framework for digital asset derivatives, enhancing operational certainty within decentralized finance ecosystems. \u25b4 News",
    "url": "https://options.greeks.live/news/sec-clarifies-liquid-staking-activities-are-not-securities/",
    "datePublished": "2025-08-06T00:04:19+00:00",
    "dateModified": "2025-10-26T14:51:38+00:00",
    "articleSection": [
        "News"
    ],
    "author": {
        "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
    },
    "publisher": {
        "@id": "https://greeks.live/#organization"
    },
    "image": {
        "@type": "ImageObject",
        "url": "https://options.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/digital-asset-derivatives-rfq-execution-system-microstructure-principal-framework.jpg",
        "caption": "The image details layered materials with a central, clear blue sphere, symbolizing a sophisticated Principal's Operational Framework. This framework drives RFQ Protocol execution for Institutional Digital Asset Derivatives and Options Trading, integrating an Intelligence Layer for dynamic Price Discovery and High-Fidelity Execution. It ensures Capital Efficiency via advanced Execution Management System and Smart Order Routing, crucial for mitigating Counterparty Risk and achieving Atomic Settlement within the cutting-edge Crypto Derivatives OS."
    },
    "keywords": [
        "Decentralized Finance",
        "Digital Assets",
        "Investment Contract",
        "Liquid Staking",
        "Market Structure",
        "Protocol Staking",
        "Regulatory Clarity",
        "Regulatory Framework",
        "Securities and Exchange Commission",
        "Securities Law",
        "Staking Receipt Tokens"
    ]
}
```

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "WebSite",
    "url": "https://options.greeks.live/",
    "potentialAction": {
        "@type": "SearchAction",
        "target": "https://options.greeks.live/?s=search_term_string",
        "query-input": "required name=search_term_string"
    }
}
```


---

**Original URL:** https://options.greeks.live/news/sec-clarifies-liquid-staking-activities-are-not-securities/
