ChainCatcher news, SEC Chairman Paul Atkins stated at the SEC conference, "The crypto market has been in a gray regulatory area of the SEC for years. Initially, the SEC adopted what I call an 'ostrich policy'—perhaps hoping the crypto industry would disappear on its own. Later, the policy shifted to a 'shoot first, ask questions later' enforcement-style regulation. The so-called slogan of 'welcome to chat' often actually means 'welcome to receive a subpoena.' This presents a dilemma for market participants. Such an environment cannot build trust. The underlying message is: 'You guess for yourself.'I have recently instructed the Division of Corporation Finance to maintain transparent communication with the public. When regulators can engage in open dialogue with the industry, market participants can act more flexibly and allocate capital more effectively to productive uses. Today marks a new starting point for the SEC. I have directed the staff in the policy department to begin drafting rule proposals related to cryptocurrencies. Meanwhile, the staff is still 'clearing obstacles' through departmental statements.I hope the Commission allows SEC-registered entities to simultaneously host and trade both securities and non-securities assets on one platform. This will help reduce costs for investors and enable non-securities trading to quickly enter the federal regulatory environment. In response to innovation trends and the progress of the crypto working group, we have requested Congress to reallocate the budget to integrate the SEC's 'Innovation and Financial Technology Strategic Center (FinHub)' functions into other parts of the agency."

ChainCatcher news, according to the official announcement from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), SEC Chairman, commissioners, and staff will participate in the SEC Speaks event today and tomorrow.SEC Chairman Paul Atkins will deliver a speech today at 8:40 AM Eastern Time (8:40 PM Beijing Time). The event agenda and live broadcast information can be obtained through the official link.

ChainCatcher news, according to FinanceFeeds, former House Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry stated that former SEC Chairman Gary Gensler has a much more moderate attitude towards digital assets in private than in public.Patrick McHenry mentioned in the "American Cryptocurrency" podcast that in private discussions, Gensler expressed appreciation for the potential of blockchain and digital assets—this stands in stark contrast to his aggressive regulatory stance during his leadership at the SEC. McHenry recalled that Gensler often referenced his time at MIT, where he taught courses on blockchain and digital currencies, noting that he recognized the value of digital assets and understood blockchain technology.Others who worked with Gensler during his academic career also confirmed this perspective. Sei Labs General Counsel Gerald Gallagher pointed out that Gensler contributed to the early conceptualization of token airdrops—a detail that is rarely mentioned in his public biography.

ChainCatcher news, according to crypto journalist Eleanor Terrett, former North Carolina Congressman and Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee Patrick McHenry (McCarthy) revealed that former SEC Chairman Gary Gensler has not been as anti-cryptocurrency in private as he has been in public. "I think this has more to do with Senate politics and the confirmation process."

ChainCatcher news, new U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Paul Atkins announced on Monday that the agency will undergo significant changes in its approach to cryptocurrency regulation and outlined details involving issuance and custody. Nominated by President Trump, Atkins articulated these plans during the SEC's fourth cryptocurrency task force roundtable, demonstrating a starkly different approach to digital asset regulation compared to the previous administration."SEC is ushering in a new day," Atkins said. "Policy-making will no longer rely on ad hoc enforcement actions. Instead, the Commission will utilize its existing rule-making, interpretive, and exemption authorities to set standards suitable for market participants."Atkins stated on Monday that he plans to develop guidelines for assets considered securities or "subject to investment contracts." He criticized the previous approach by Gensler, which required companies to visit the SEC, calling it a "ostrich policy—perhaps hoping that cryptocurrency would disappear." "It claims to be willing to talk to potential registrants, 'just come visit,' but that is at most empty rhetoric, more often hypocritical, as the SEC has not made the necessary adjustments to the registration forms for this new technology," he said.Atkins also hinted that custody rules may need updating to allow funds and advisors to engage in self-custody under certain conditions and revealed that the agency may take a new approach to its "special purpose broker-dealer framework." Atkins indicated that the SEC may also consider whether to provide exemption relief for participants looking to bring new products to market. "I want to explore whether conditional exemption relief applies to registrants and non-registrants seeking to launch new products and services that may be incompatible with the current Commission rules and regulations," he said.

ChainCatcher News, SEC Chairman Paul Atkins will deliver a keynote speech on asset tokenization on May 12. On the same day, the SEC will hold a roundtable discussion titled "Tokenization: Moving Assets Onchain: Where TradFi and DeFi Meet."Attendees from the SEC include: Chairman Paul S. Atkins, Director of the Crypto Working Group Office Richard B. Gabbert, Commissioner Hester Peirce, among others. Other participants include: Cynthia Lo Bessette (Fidelity), Eun Ah Choi (NASDAQ), Will Geyer (Invesco), etc.

ChainCatcher news, according to DLNews, the new chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Paul Atkins, pledged in a recent roundtable discussion to bring clear regulations for cryptocurrency oversight, criticized past efforts, and promised to establish a "purpose-built" framework for digital assets.He stated that he expects this market innovation to bring significant benefits in terms of efficiency, cost reduction, transparency, and risk mitigation. Innovation has been stifled in recent years due to market and regulatory uncertainty.

ChainCatcher message, the new SEC Chairman Paul Atkins stated at the third cryptocurrency roundtable: "This is my fourth day working at the commission, and I am eager to address the long-standing issues in the blockchain space, such as the regulatory treatment of digital assets and distributed ledger technology, and to collaborate with my colleagues and staff, as well as seek external input. This is an important job because entrepreneurs across the United States are leveraging blockchain technology to modernize the financial system. I look forward to the significant benefits this market innovation will bring in terms of efficiency, cost reduction, transparency, and risk mitigation."

ChainCatcher news, the new SEC Chairman Paul Atkins stated at the third crypto roundtable: "The focus of today's roundtable discussion is the challenges faced by SEC registrants in attempting to safely custody crypto assets for their clients under federal securities laws.Is modifying the custody rules under the Securities Exchange Act, the Investment Advisers Act, or the Investment Company Act to accommodate crypto assets a special brokerage business, or is a new framework for crypto asset broker-dealers needed for market participants?"

ChainCatcher news, according to official SEC news, the new SEC Chairman Paul Atkins will speak at the next cryptocurrency roundtable on April 25.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, former U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Jay Clayton has been appointed as the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, replacing Damian Williams, who played a significant role in several high-profile cryptocurrency cases. This appointment is temporary, as Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer used a "blue slip" to block a confirmation vote for Clayton. Clayton can serve as Acting Attorney General for up to 120 days without Senate confirmation, with his term lasting until around August 20.It is worth noting that Clayton has stated he is a "strong believer in crypto technology" and referred to Bitcoin as an important store of value.

ChainCatcher news, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins is the best candidate to ensure regulatory certainty for cryptocurrencies.

ChainCatcher news, Trump will participate in the swearing-in ceremony of the new SEC Chairman Paul Atkins tomorrow at 4 PM Eastern Time in the Oval Office.

ChainCatcher news, according to Decrypt, the incoming chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Paul Atkins will face the task of reviewing over 70 cryptocurrency-related ETF applications. According to Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas, these applications cover a variety of crypto assets, from Solana, XRP, Dogecoin to Pengu. Previously, the SEC approved spot ETFs for Bitcoin and Ethereum during the tenure of former chairman Gary Gensler. Analysts expect that the SEC may delay its final decision on the XRP ETF until mid-October this year.

ChainCatcher news, according to Bitcoin.com, U.S. President Trump posted on Truth Social on Wednesday that New York Senator and Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer blocked the nomination of Jay Clayton, leaving Clayton currently in an acting capacity. As a result, the former SEC chairman will have to wait longer to officially become the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY). The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) is often involved in significant corporate criminal cases, making this federal prosecutor position highly sought after.Clayton stated in a 2021 interview with CNBC, "I am very optimistic about this technology." Some cryptocurrency experts praise him as being more open-minded than his successor Gary Gensler. However, Clayton lacks prosecutorial experience, and Schumer claims that the only reason Trump nominated this former regulator for such an important position was to advance the president's nefarious scheme of ultimately pursuing and prosecuting his political opponents. Trump responded on Truth Social, praising Clayton's qualifications and experience, and accusing Schumer of engaging in partisan politics.

ChainCatcher news, Forbes reporter Eleanor Terrett posted on the X platform that the Senate has scheduled a motion to proceed vote on SEC Chairman nominee Paul Atkins at 11:30 AM (local time) tomorrow. The vote confirmation is the next step for his nomination. If the vote is successful, he will have a full confirmation vote as early as 7:00 PM.

ChainCatcher news, encrypted journalist Eleanor Terrett posted on the X platform that the SEC chairman nominee Paul Atkins has passed the Senate Banking Committee vote, and next, his nomination will be submitted to the full Senate for a vote.