On January 20, Mark Uyeda was appointed as the acting chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) following a decision by the Trump administration. This change could influence the SEC's policy on digital assets.
Mark Uyeda's Appointment
On January 20, a White House notice announced that President Donald Trump appointed Mark Uyeda as the acting chair of the SEC, replacing Gary Gensler until the Senate could confirm one of his nominees. Uyeda, a Republican, has served on the SEC since 2022 after being nominated by former President Joe Biden.
Other Financial Regulator Appointments
Members of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) also announced on January 20 that Commissioner Caroline Pham would serve as acting chair after Rostin Behnam stepped down. The heads of these financial regulators will have the opportunity to significantly impact digital asset policy.
Impact on Crypto Regulation
As an SEC member, Uyeda criticized the commission’s approach to digital assets under Gensler, claiming it neither facilitates capital formation nor protects investors. The SEC filed several enforcement actions against crypto companies, including Ripple Labs, Coinbase, Terraform Labs, and Binance.
It remains unclear how these changes will affect ongoing lawsuits and the Commission's policy on digital assets. The White House has not confirmed plans to sign executive orders related to the crypto industry.
