Overview

• Paul Atkins officially became the 34th SEC Chair on April 21, 2025, following Senate confirmation earlier this month.
• Atkins's leadership marks a strategic departure from Gary Gensler's enforcement-heavy approach, with a focus on collaboration and deregulation in crypto oversight.
• The SEC now faces decisions on 72 pending crypto ETF applications, covering assets like XRP, Solana, Dogecoin, and meme coins such as Melania.
• The agency has until mid-October to finalize rulings on certain ETFs, including those linked to XRP, allowing for extended deliberation under Atkins's tenure.
• Atkins, who holds up to $6 million in crypto assets and has ties to the digital asset industry, pledged to create clearer, investor-friendly regulatory frameworks.