This is actually the only answer that is pertinent in this context, it should be up voted.
Securities generate returns, commodities do not.
The regulation proposals for tokens include a number of different categories: utilities (governance), securities (returns), commodities (holding), etc.
The categorization of tokens influence the amount of regulation they have to undergo: Exchanges, KYC, AML, etc.
For instance if a token is categorized as a security, then it is an investment product. You will need a SEC licence to sell it, perform KYC & AML on clients, have audits, etc.