Paul Atkins reaffirms crypto commitments
SEC Chairman Paul Atkins issued a sharp critique of the agency’s past crypto strategy, calling it ineffective and damaging to market trust.
In a speech published on the SEC’s website, Atkins said the Commission’s previous posture—initially ignoring crypto and then relying heavily on enforcement—had failed to provide clarity and discouraged engagement from legitimate players.
“It seemed like a catch-22,” Atkins said. “The message was, ‘You go figure it out.’ That environment did not create trust.”
To rebuild that trust, Atkins directed the Division of Corporation Finance to engage more transparently with market participants. He emphasized that while formal crypto rulemaking is underway,…
