Trump Nominates Former SEC Commissioner Paul Atkins as Next SEC Chair
Former SEC Commissioner Paul Atkins has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission, according to sources familiar with the matter. The nomination comes as current SEC Chair Gary Gensler announced his upcoming departure on January 20.
Atkins, who served as SEC commissioner during the George W. Bush administration, has established himself as a strong advocate for cryptocurrency innovation since leaving the commission. He currently co-chairs the Token Alliance at the Digital Chamber of Commerce and runs Potomac Global Partners, a consultancy advising digital finance firms on regulatory compliance.
The nomination aligns with Trump's campaign promises to the crypto industry. Trump has previously proposed establishing a "Crypto Advisory Council" and creating a "Strategic Bitcoin Reserve" using government-seized crypto assets.
If confirmed by the Senate, Atkins would mark a sharp departure from Gensler's approach, which focused heavily on enforcement actions against crypto companies. Under Gensler's leadership, the SEC pursued numerous cases against crypto entities for alleged securities law violations.
"Senate Republicans really respect the tradition of Commissioner Paul Atkins," noted George Mason University professor J.W. Verret, highlighting Atkins' unique position as the first libertarian SEC commissioner.
Former SEC colleague John Reed Stark praised Atkins' leadership style, noting his respectful approach toward commission staff. This management approach stands in contrast to reports of tensions under the current leadership.
Before making the nomination, Trump's transition team consulted with crypto industry leaders about the chairperson position. The selection of Atkins follows Trump's recent appointments of other crypto-friendly officials, including Bitcoin advocate Scott Bessent as Treasury Secretary and Howard Lutnick as Commerce Secretary nominee.
While Trump awaits Atkins' acceptance of the nomination, betting markets have assigned an 85% probability to Atkins becoming the next SEC chair. If confirmed, he is expected to bring a more innovation-friendly approach to crypto regulation at the agency.