
Trump’s SEC Chair Pick Paul Atkins Clears Key Senate Vote Amid Crypto Regulation Shift
In a narrow 13-11 vote, President Donald Trump’s pick for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chair, Paul Atkins, has cleared the Senate Banking Committee. This development marks a significant shift in crypto regulation, as Trump seeks to alter the leadership at the SEC.
Atkins is poised to replace Gary Gensler and serve through June 2026 before continuing for another term ending in 2031 if confirmed. This nomination comes after Trump vowed to fire Gensler on his first day back in office, which occurred on January 20. The sudden departure of Gensler led Mark Uyeda to take over as acting SEC chair. Since then, the SEC has dropped several lawsuits related to crypto regulation, including cases against firms like Ripple Labs. Notably, Ripple’s executives reportedly contributed to Trump’s 2024 campaign.
Atkins’ confirmation would bring “much-needed clarity for digital assets,” according to Senator Tim Scott. However, his nomination was met with opposition by Senator Elizabeth Warren, who accused him of supporting individuals like Sam Bankman-Fried and Elon Musk, who she believes are attempting to undermine the SEC.
The committee hearing saw a rare absence of several Democratic senators, with Warren casting multiple proxy votes. Despite this, the committee approved Atkins’ nomination, indicating a shift in the balance of power.
With Gensler’s resignation, Uyeda has been acting as chair since January 20. Critics have accused Gensler of employing a “regulation by enforcement” approach that lacks clear guidelines for digital assets. Democrats have called on Uyeda to preserve all records related to Trump’s ties with World Liberty Financial, a crypto company linked to the President’s family. Concerns were raised about transparency and potential conflicts of interest.
The committee also greenlit three additional Trump nominees: Jonathan Gould as Comptroller of the Currency, Luke Pettit as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, and Marcus Molinaro as Federal Transit Administrator. The April 3 executive session reflected strong support for Trump’s broader financial picks. With several Democratic senators absent, Republicans were able to secure enough votes to advance the nominations.
Trump’s “government efficiency” team reportedly gained access to SEC systems and internal data without formal announcement on the scope or duration of this access. There is no information available regarding potential removals of SEC staff.
As a result, Trump’s nomination of Paul Atkins marks a significant shift in crypto regulation, as his confirmation would likely lead to changes within the agency.
Source: https://coinchapter.com/trumps-sec-chair-pick-paul-atkins-clears-key-senate-vote-amid-crypto-regulation-shift/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=trumps-sec-chair-pick-paul-atkins-clears-key-senate-vote-amid-crypto-regulation-shift