SEC Chairman Paul Atkins Commits to More Transparent and Predictable Enforcement

In an interview published recently, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Paul Atkins announced plans to adopt a more transparent and measured approach to regulatory enforcement. Atkins emphasized that businesses would receive prior notification of technical violations before the SEC initiates aggressive actions, a departure from previous practices.

"I think a lot of people rightly criticised the SEC," Atkins explained. "Especially in more recent years it was not grounded in precedent or predictability. It would shoot first and then ask questions later."

He added, "What I am trying to address is a market perception that there was a lack of due process, a lack of notice, a lack of rule of law."

This new stance coincides with the SEC’s recent publication of its rule-making agenda, which includes potential broad reforms to cryptocurrency regulations and a reduction of what Wall Street considers overly restrictive rules. Atkins’s focus on the crypto sector aligns with President Donald Trump’s commitment to fostering digital asset adoption.

Further elaborating on crypto regulation, Atkins stated his belief that most tokens do not qualify as securities. He also expressed interest in creating guidelines that facilitate the trading of tokenized shares and bonds—synthetic securities that confer equivalent legal rights but allow for continuous trading via blockchain technology.

This approach contrasts sharply with former President Joe Biden’s administration, which imposed stringent crypto regulations aimed at combating fraud and money laundering. Atkins’s tenure signals a significant policy shift toward greater flexibility and innovation within the SEC.