The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced that the examination priorities for its Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) for 2018 will particularly focus on cryptocurrencies and initial coin offerings (ICOs), among other things.

According to the official release, OCIE's examination priorities for this year have been categorized into compliance and risks in critical market infrastructure; matters of importance to retail investors, including seniors and those saving for retirement; FINRA and MSRB; cybersecurity; and anti-money laundering programs.

"As the markets continually evolve and the products and services available to investors adapt, OCIE remains committed in its risk-based examination program to prioritizing the interests of retail investors and examining those aspects of securities firms posing risks to investors and the proper functioning of our capital markets," said OCIE Director Pete Driscoll.

Regarding cryptocurrencies and ICOs, the release said that the OCIE will continue to monitor their growth and examine registrants involved in their offer and sale to ensure that investors receive adequate disclosures about the risks associated with these investments.

The announcement follows SEC Chairman Jay Clayton’s recent testimony at the Senate Banking Committee hearing, where he spoke on a number of topics including cryptocurrencies, ICOs, distributed ledger technology, existing regulatory framework in these areas and much more.