U.S. Senate Confirms Paul Atkins as SEC Chair Under Trump

On April 9, the U.S. Senate officially confirmed President Donald Trump’s nominee, Paul Atkins, as Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), with a 52-44 vote largely along party lines.

Atkins previously served as an SEC commissioner from 2002 to 2008, during the global financial crisis. More recently, he has been known for his pro-crypto stance. He founded Patomak Global Partners, a financial consulting firm specializing in regulatory compliance and risk management, and co-chaired the crypto advocacy group Token Alliance from 2017 until late 2024.

He will succeed Mark Uyeda, who had been serving as acting chair since January 20 after Gary Gensler stepped down. Gensler’s tenure was marked by aggressive enforcement actions and lawsuits against crypto firms for alleged securities violations. In contrast, the Trump administration has taken a more lenient approach, creating a Crypto Task Force and dropping several crypto-related investigations.

Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott expressed confidence that Atkins will maintain a crypto-friendly regulatory stance. He noted that Atkins would bring “regulatory clarity for digital assets, foster innovation, and help keep the U.S. globally competitive.”

During his Senate confirmation hearing in March, Atkins stated that one of his top priorities would be to establish a solid regulatory foundation for digital assets through a rational and principled approach.

Atkins’ confirmation was initially delayed due to financial disclosures related to his marriage to Sarah Humphreys Atkins, whose family owns TAMKO Building Products, a company that generated over $1.2 billion in revenue in 2023. The couple’s combined net worth is estimated at a minimum of $327 million. According to Fortune, Atkins also holds up to $6 million in crypto-related investments, including stakes in Anchorage Digital and Securitize.