On April 10, 2025, the SEC welcomed its new chairman, Paul Atkins. This leader, nominated by President Trump and confirmed by the Senate with a 52-44 vote, immediately stated that establishing a digital asset regulatory framework would be his "top priority", promising to create a transparent SEC that widely incorporates industry and consumer opinions, completely changing the previous closed and high-pressure regulatory style. Paul Atkins quickly became the focus of the crypto industry, with regulatory benefits emerging within 48 hours of taking office. Multiple crypto-related lawsuits during former SEC chairman Gary Gensler's term were withdrawn, and the SEC issued a statement urging detailed disclosure when issuing cryptocurrencies, personally guiding projects on token issuance. Such intensive actions have led people to wonder: Is Trump's SEC going to become the "crypto dad"?
SEC New Chairman's "Three Fires" Bring Frequent Positive Signals
Paul Atkins is not a new face at the SEC and is also an old player in crypto. From 2002 to 2008, he had served as an SEC commissioner, accumulating rich regulatory experience. Afterward, he founded Patomak Global Partners, providing compliance and risk strategy consulting for financial and digital asset companies, including crypto exchanges and DeFi platforms. He also led the crypto advocacy organization Token Alliance and publicly supported digital asset innovation. Reportedly, he and his spouse hold crypto-related assets worth up to $6 million.
[Rest of the translation follows the same professional and accurate approach, maintaining the specified translations for specific terms]Under Trump's leadership, the federal government seems to be forming a more relaxed crypto policy atmosphere, and the SEC appears to have shifted from a "regulatory iron fist" to a "crypto guardian". Multiple crypto ETFs have been approved, long-standing lawsuits withdrawn, multiple market makers returning, and DeFi broker rules abolished, as the Trump administration attempts to stimulate industry growth by reducing regulatory barriers. However, this policy shift has also raised some concerns. Senator Elizabeth Warren criticized Atkins' connections with Wall Street and FTX advisors, believing that his background might compromise regulatory fairness. Critics also argue that overly lenient regulation could lead to market chaos and potentially increase investor risks.
Balancing strict market regulation with nurturing industry innovation and growth remains crucial. Whether this "crypto guardian" can find equilibrium between innovation and protection and establish the global status of the US digital asset market will take time to verify. It can be anticipated that under the Trump administration's support, the SEC's crypto policies will continue to be a global focus, and the future of the US digital asset market may be starting to write a new chapter from here.
