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Paul Atkins, President Donald Trump’s nominee to chair the US Securities and Exchange Commission, signaled a sharp shift in the agency’s regulatory posture on Wednesday, vowing to implement a “rational, coherent, and principled” framework for digital assets.
His remarks, released in prepared testimony ahead of Thursday’s Senate confirmation hearing, position Atkins as a crypto-friendly regulator seeking to rein in what he described as burdensome and overly politicized oversight.
Atkins, who previously served as an SEC commissioner under President George W. Bush, criticized the agency’s approach to crypto regulation under the Biden admin, calling it “ambiguous and non-existent” and a barrier to innovation.
“Since 2017, as I have led industry efforts to develop best practices for the digital asset industry, I have seen how ambiguous and non-existent regulations for digital assets create uncertainty in the market and inhibit innovation,” he said.
SEC Poised for Policy Overhaul as Atkins Pledges Pro-Growth Crypto Framework
In his testimony, Atkins pledged to work alongside fellow commissioners and lawmakers to establish clear rules that foster innovation while protecting investors.
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION CHAIR NOMINEE PAUL ATKINS PLEDGES TO PROVIDE 'RATIONAL, COHERENT AND PRINCIPLED' APPROACH TO CRYPTO REGULATION -TESTIMONY
— *Walter Bloomberg (@DeItaone) March 26, 2025
“It is time to reset priorities and return common sense to the SEC,” he added, arguing that excessive regulation has stifled capital formation and confused retail investors with overly complex disclosures.
The confirmation hearing comes as the SEC begins reassessing its stance on digital assets under a new administration. Since January, the Trump White House has issued several pro-crypto executive orders and is actively working to roll back regulations adopted under former SEC Chair Gary Gensler.