President Donald Trump is set to attend Paul Atkins’ private swearing-in ceremony as the new US SEC Chair, as per the president’s schedule released by journalist Eleanor Terrett. The ceremony is scheduled to take place today at 4:00 PM ET in the Oval Office.
Atkins, who was nominated by Trump to lead the nation’s top financial regulatory agency, officially took office on April 21 after receiving confirmation from the Senate earlier this month. He is now working with fellow Commissioners and the agency’s staff to further the SEC’s mission of facilitating capital formation, maintaining fair and efficient markets, and protecting investors.
Crypto enthusiasts have shown excitement over Atkins’ assumption of office, viewing him as a pro-crypto leader compared to the agency’s previous chief, Gary Gensler. Paul Grewal, Chief Legal Officer at Coinbase, congratulated Atkins and thanked SEC Commissioner Uyeda for his interim leadership.
Alexander Grieve, Vice President of Government Affairs at Paradigm, also welcomed the leadership transition, calling it a much-needed change at the SEC.
As Atkins steps into his role as SEC Chair, he faces a packed agenda with a focus on digital assets. He has committed to prioritizing the establishment of clear and principled regulations for digital assets. The SEC is expected to make decisions soon on prominent cases involving Ripple and Binance, both currently on hold to facilitate potential settlements.
Additionally, a backlog of crypto ETF applications is awaiting final rulings, and industry experts believe Atkins’ leadership could expedite approvals that were previously delayed. Applications for spot ETFs linked to popular altcoins like Solana, XRP, and Dogecoin are anticipated to see progress under Atkins’ leadership.
Overall, the cryptocurrency community is optimistic about the future under Atkins’ chairmanship, with hopes for more clarity and progress in regulatory matters. It will be interesting to see how Atkins navigates the challenges ahead and shapes the SEC’s approach to digital assets.