Paul Atkins, President Donald Trump’s decide for chair of the US Securities and Change Fee, acknowledged in his affirmation listening to that crypto regulation could be a “prime precedence” for him.
Trump nominated Atkins for the position in December 2024. Till his affirmation, Commissioner Mark Uyeda is serving as performing chair.
How Paul Atkins Plans to Reform Crypto Regulation
On March 27, 2025, Atkins appeared earlier than the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and City Affairs for his affirmation listening to. In his remarks, he emphasised that beneath his management, the SEC would prioritize regulatory readability.
Atkins, a former SEC commissioner from 2002 to 2008, argued that the present lack of clear laws has sown uncertainty in monetary markets and hindered innovation.
“A prime precedence of my chairmanship will probably be to work with my fellow commissioners and Congress to supply a agency regulatory basis for digital belongings via a rational, coherent, and principled method,” Atkins mentioned.
He confused that whereas creating laws is important, efficiently implementing them is much more necessary. Atkins argued that laws ought to be sensible, environment friendly, and inside the regulator’s authority, with clear guidelines benefiting all market members.
He pledged to refocus the SEC on its core mission: defending buyers, selling environment friendly markets, and facilitating capital formation.
“It’s time to reset priorities and return widespread sense to the SEC,” he remarked.
Senator Tim Scott, the committee chairman, praised Atkins as a seasoned chief able to steering the company again to its foundational targets. Scott highlighted Atkins’ potential to undo what he known as “dangerous” insurance policies enacted beneath the Joe Biden administration.
“He’ll promote capital formation and retail funding alternatives and supply lengthy overdue readability for digital belongings, guaranteeing that American innovation doesn’t fall additional behind,” Senator Scott acknowledged.
Nonetheless, not everybody shares this view. Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat, expressed considerations about Atkins’ impartiality relating to the digital asset trade. Notably, Atkins disclosed proudly owning as much as $6 million in crypto-related belongings previous to the listening to.
In a letter, Warren urged Atkins to deal with this battle of curiosity by committing to step other than points involving his earlier shoppers. She additionally requested him to keep away from taking part in, lobbying for, or offering recommendation to the industries he oversaw on the SEC for no less than 4 years following his time period.
The Senate Banking Committee is anticipated to vote on Atkins’ nomination. Nonetheless, a date has not been confirmed but. If confirmed, Atkins would succeed former chair Gary Gensler.
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