Trump’s SEC Pick Paul Atkins Takes Over — Will Crypto Finally Catch a Break?

The winds at the SEC are shifting — and crypto could be in for a very different ride.

Paul Atkins has officially stepped in as the 34th Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), following a Senate confirmation vote of 52–44. Nominated by President Donald Trump, Atkins now leads the agency at a time when the crypto market is worth over $2.8 trillion — and under intense scrutiny.

A Pro-Market Voice at the Helm

Atkins is no stranger to the SEC, having served as a commissioner in the past. In his first statement as Chair, he expressed a commitment to making the U.S. “the most secure and attractive place for investment and business.”

“I’m pleased to rejoin the SEC and work alongside my fellow commissioners to support capital formation, maintain fair markets, and protect investors,” he said.

That all sounds like standard regulatory talk — but crypto insiders are paying close attention to one specific point: Atkins says crypto regulation is a key priority.

Goodbye Gensler, Hello Change?

Atkins replaces Gary Gensler, who had a contentious relationship with the crypto world. Gensler was known for treating most altcoins as unregistered securities and for blocking or delaying numerous crypto ETF proposals. His skeptical stance was clear — just last week, he called crypto sentiment-driven and “unsustainable.”

Since Gensler’s departure, though, the floodgates seem to be cracking open. There are now 72 crypto-linked ETFs sitting in the SEC’s approval pipeline, and expectations are growing that the new leadership could finally give some of them the green light.

“It’s a full serving of ETF-related items,” said Nate Geraci, President of The ETF Store. “We should start seeing real movement soon.”

Will Atkins Be Crypto-Friendly?

That’s the big question. While Atkins hasn’t made bold promises, his reputation leans market-friendly — and that has many in the industry cautiously optimistic.

Some analysts are even calling this the start of a “pro-crypto SEC,” especially as several high-profile investigations and lawsuits — including ones involving Coinbase, Uniswap, Ripple, Kraken, and Yuga Labs — were recently dropped. It’s worth noting, though, that these same companies reportedly donated over $85 million to Trump’s inauguration, raising eyebrows about political influence.Still, the hope is that Atkins will bring clearer rules, less hostility, and a more collaborative approach to crypto regulation — especially around ETF approvals and emerging sectors like memecoins, staking, and on-chain finance.