Forward Industries: Released a white paper on the regulatory framework for crypto vaults, responding to SEC Commissioner Peirce's statement

According to Forward Industries (NASDAQ: $FWDI) in a public letter, the company's General Counsel Georgia Quinn officially responded to SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce's statement on July 22, 2026, titled "Headstands and Summervaults," and proposed a three-tier vault regulatory framework centered on "management freedom" as a core variable:

• Type I - Use: Developers provide out-of-the-box software, and users configure parameters themselves without registration;

• Type II - Follow: Referencing the SEC's 2013 no-action letter regarding AngelList, Angels set strategies for others to follow, meeting conditions such as co-investment and information disclosure, without needing to register as investment advisors;

• Type III - Advised: Involves active management, requiring registration or applicable exemptions, suggesting that the SEC and CFTC jointly regulate to avoid dual compliance conflicts.

The article also presents five baseline requirements applicable to all vaults, including conflict of interest disclosure, code public audit, exclusion of disqualified persons, applicability of anti-fraud rules, and state law preemption. The article specifically notes that Peirce's statement did not mention the CFTC, and the inter-agency regulatory issues regarding mixed-asset vaults urgently need to be addressed by the SEC and CFTC.