In a bold move to reshape the U.S. crypto regulatory landscape, President Donald Trump announced on February 10, 2025, the nominations of Paul Atkins as chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Brian Quintenz as chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
These appointments signal a pro-crypto shift, aligning with Trump’s executive order on January 23, 2025, which declared digital assets a national priority.
Both nominees, known for their industry-friendly stances, are expected to drive regulatory clarity and foster innovation in the U.S. crypto industry, including markets for tokenized assets like real estate, commodities like gold, financial instruments like bonds and stocks, and even collectibles like artwork or luxury goods.
Paul Atkins, a former SEC commissioner and founder of Patomak Global Partners, has advised crypto trade groups and advocated for lighter regulatory touchpoints.
His nomination follows the SEC’s recent pause on high-profile enforcement actions against firms like Coinbase and OpenSea, reflecting a departure from the Gary Gensler era’s aggressive approach.
Atkins is tasked with clarifying the SEC’s jurisdiction over crypto assets, particularly distinguishing between securities and commodities.
Atkins’ leadership is expected to align with the Crypto 2.0 Task Force, launched in January 2025 under Hester Peirce, to create registration pathways for digital assets.
Brian Quintenz, a former CFTC commissioner and current venture partner at Andreessen Horowitz, brings deep crypto expertise. During his CFTC tenure, he supported blockchain innovation and advocated for the CFTC’s role in regulating crypto derivatives.
His nomination aims to strengthen the CFTC’s oversight of crypto futures and options trading, ensuring transparency and preventing market manipulation.
Quintenz’s leadership could accelerate the adoption of tokenized assets in commodity markets, potentially including music royalties as tradable assets, enhancing liquidity for creators and investors.
The nominations come amid a pro-crypto wave, bolstered by the crypto industry’s $250 million investment in the 2024 election cycle, which helped elect a pro-crypto Congress.
The GENIUS Act, passed by the House on July 17, 2025, and the Clarity Act underscore this momentum, with both bills addressing stablecoin regulation and market structure.
However, critics like Sen. Elizabeth Warren argue that Atkins and Quintenz’s industry ties, including Atkins’ advisory role with crypto firms, raise conflict-of-interest concerns, especially given Trump’s World Liberty Financial and USD1 stablecoin ventures.
Public Citizen’s Bartlett Naylor called the nominations a “rubberstamp” for Trump’s crypto agenda, citing his $57 million earnings from token sales in 2024.
Despite opposition, the nominations are likely to be confirmed, given the Republican Senate majority and support from figures like Sen. Cynthia Lummis, chair of the Senate Banking Committee’s digital assets subcommittee.
The appointees will work with the Presidential Working Group on Digital Asset Markets, led by David Sacks, to implement Trump’s vision of making the U.S. the “crypto capital of the planet.” This could drive demand for tokenized assets, as clear regulations lower barriers for institutional and retail investors.
