SEC Forms New Crypto Task Force Spearheaded by Hester Peirce

Gary Gensler only officially stepped down as chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) yesterday, but the federal agency’s approach to crypto is already getting an overhaul.

Acting Chair Mark Uyeda announced Tuesday that the agency has created a crypto task force dedicated to “developing a comprehensive and clear regulatory framework for crypto assets.” The task force will be led by Commissioner Hester Peirce, a long-time advocate for the crypto industry, and will work closely with the crypto industry to develop regulations. The task force will also work with Congress, providing “technical assistance” as it crafts crypto regulations.

Both the tone and content of the SEC’s Tuesday announcement indicate a radical shift in the agency’s approach to crypto regulation under the new Trump administration.

“To date, the SEC has relied primarily on enforcement actions to regulate crypto retroactively and reactively, often adopting novel and untested legal interpretations along the way,” the statement said. “Clarity regarding who must register, and practical solutions for those seeking to register, have been elusive. The result has been confusion about what is legal, which creates an environment hostile to innovation and conducive to fraud. The SEC can do better.”

The SEC’s new crypto task force will also coordinate with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) – which, under the leadership of former Chair Gensler and former CFTC Chairman Rostin Behnam, has been locked in competition with the SEC over which agency should be the primary regulator of the crypto industry.

“This undertaking will take time, patience, and much hard work. It will succeed only if the Task Force has input from a wide range of investors, industry participants, academics, and other interested parties. We look forward to working hand-in-hand with the public to foster a regulatory environment that protects investors, facilitates capital formation, fosters market integrity, and supports innovation,” said Commissioner Peirce in a statement.

The SEC previously published staff guidance in 2019, though it has not been referenced or discussed much in the past five years.