PANews, December 4 – According to Unchained Crypto, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Paul Atkins, a supporter of the cryptocurrency industry, to be the chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Atkins is reported to be the first libertarian to serve as an SEC commissioner during the George W. Bush administration and has long supported the cryptocurrency industry. Sources say Trump has reached out to Atkins, but he has yet to formally accept the nomination.
Current chairman Gary Gensler has faced widespread criticism for his strict enforcement policies towards the cryptocurrency industry and has announced he will resign on the day Trump takes office. As a replacement candidate, Atkins must be confirmed by the Senate, or Trump may directly appoint him during the Senate recess. Atkins co-founded Token Alliance in 2017, focusing on cryptocurrency policy, and has long provided compliance consulting for digital finance companies.