Key Takeaways
Paul Atkins confirmed as SEC chair, replacing Gary Gensler.
Atkins aims to introduce a rational crypto framework at SEC.
The US Senate on Wednesday confirmed Paul Atkins as head of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in a 52-44 vote. He is expected to be sworn in and assume his new role in the coming days.
Atkins, chosen to lead the country’s top securities market regulator by President Donald Trump, will work closely with other SEC commissioners, including Republicans Hester Peirce and Mark Uyeda, and Democratic commissioner Caroline Crenshaw.
An advocate for market-driven innovation, Atkins is widely expected to adopt a supportive stance toward the digital asset sector. Market participants anticipate a fast-tracked approval process for crypto-based investment products, such as ETFs linked to major assets like XRP, Solana, and even the meme-coin-turned-mainstay, Dogecoin.
Following Gary Gensler’s resignation on January 20 and the appointment of Uyeda as acting chair, the SEC has begun scaling back its crypto enforcement efforts.
Uyeda established a task force led by Hester Peirce to reevaluate the agency’s strategy for regulating digital assets, diverging sharply from its previous approach.
Controversial rules like Staff Accounting Bulletin 121 have also been canceled, with clearer guidelines for token classification, custody requirements, and market structure likely on the horizon—developments the crypto industry has long lobbied for. Atkins is likely to accelerate this transition.
During his March 27 confirmation hearing, Atkins pledged to establish a clear and principled regulatory framework for digital assets to foster innovation and protect investors.
He also expressed a desire to keep politics out of regulatory decisions and advance clear rules that encourage investment in the U.S. economy.
“It’s time to return common sense to the SEC,” he told the Senate panel, promising to work with Congress on a “rational” crypto framework. He criticized “unclear, overly politicized” rules that he said impede capital formation.
Today’s confirmation follows a narrow 13-11 Senate Banking Committee approval on April 3.
The appointment faced opposition from Democrats, led by Senator Elizabeth Warren, who questioned Atkins’ financial industry connections and his regulatory position during the 2008 financial crisis.
Atkins served as commissioner from 2002 to 2008 under President George W. Bush before founding Patomak Global Partners, a consultancy advising financial and crypto clients, including FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried prior to its collapse. He also co-chaired the Token Alliance, establishing his crypto credentials.
The confirmation aligns with the Trump administration’s broader financial oversight restructuring, as Atkins joins Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in supporting Trump’s goal of making the US the “crypto capital of the planet.”
“I’m pleased Paul Atkins is confirmed as Chairman of the SEC. I sat down w/ Mr. Atkins to discuss digital asset legislation, empowering Wyoming’s blockchain future & implementing reforms to the regulatory rulemaking process. I’m confident his leadership will bring positive change,” said Senator Cynthia Lummis in a Wednesday statement.
