What Crypto Industry Should Expect from the SEC Under Paul Atkins

Paul Atkins, the newly appointed Chair of the SEC, is going to make a public appearance at the next Crypto Roundtable. This meeting concerning crypto custody will take place on Friday.

At his swearing-in ceremony, Atkins described his key priority as providing regulatory clarity for digital assets. In practice, this might mean more institutional products based on cryptocurrencies, wider adoption, and greater flexibility for US-based projects.

Atkins to Speak at the Crypto Roundtable

Starting today, Paul Atkins officially started his role as the SEC Chair and pledged to take a “principled approach” to crypto regulation.

He was an early advisor for RSR and holds over $6 million in crypto exposure, and he seems committed to the industry. On Friday, Atkins will speak at the next Crypto Roundtable, potentially giving new insight into his vision.

“Paul Atkins is set to speak on Friday at the SEC’s Roundtable on crypto trading — his first public remarks on digital assets since becoming Chair,” Eleanor Terrett claimed.

The Crypto Roundtable discussions have been going on since late March, and this one will give Atkins the chance to describe his priorities.

This discussion will largely concern crypto custody, which may limit the scope of his answers, but it may signal his willingness to appear more regularly.

Regardless of what Atkins says at the Roundtable, the crypto community has a pretty good idea of his biggest concerns. For example, the Ripple vs SEC suit is almost resolved, but a final settlement needs his official approval.

The Commission will also need to decide on 72 altcoin ETF proposals, which will likely give Atkins plenty to do.

As far as a specific vision goes, it’s hard to say how he might distinguish himself. Trump’s Presidency has imposed a clear outlook on crypto regulation: a laissez-faire approach. Any pick for the office will likely align with these values.

A New Look for the SEC

In his acceptance speech, Atkins discussed the SEC’s “waywardness” under Gary Gensler, “keeping [ing] politics out of securities laws,” and his desire to make the US a global crypto capital. These have all been clear priorities for crypto regulation under Trump.

However, Atkins’ commitment to this approach has also engendered a little apprehension from investors. He previously served as the SEC Chair in the lead-up to the 2008 financial crash, resigning shortly beforehand.

Over the next few years, he vocally opposed regulations constructed in the aftermath. Atkins also blamed the US government for the FTX collapse. Some parts of the community worry that he’ll be too hands-off with bad actors.

Ultimately, Friday’s Crypto Roundtable will be the first of Atkins’ many industry-related actions. Regardless of his personal beliefs, the SEC has a few pressing issues that it needs to resolve.

The securities debate is still at large, and it remains to be seen whether the commission completely abandons crypto enforcement or takes a back seat. As the new SEC chair tackles these issues, the community will get a chance to study Atkins’ outlook and crypto ethos.