What to expect at Paul Atkins’ SEC confirmation hearing
The former commissioner will face a Republican-controlled Senate Banking Committee hearing on March 27 where he is likely to face questions regarding crypto regulation.
Former US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) member Paul Atkins is scheduled to appear before lawmakers in the Senate Banking Committee on March 27 as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to get the President’s picks into high-level government positions.
Since Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20, the SEC, under the leadership of acting chair Mark Uyeda, has dropped several investigations and enforcement actions against major crypto firms, many of which had been in court for months or years. Many analysts see the SEC’s recent actions as the administration acting on its campaign promises to the crypto industry, some of whom donated directly to the then-presidential candidate or his inauguration fund after the Nov. 5 election.
The commission’s actions — which include claiming memecoins aren’t securities — also stand in stark contrast to its position under former chair Gary Gensler, leading many to speculate that the SEC under Trump will lead to a booming US crypto industry essentially free of regulatory scrutiny.
