The U.S. Senate has confirmed Paul Atkins as SEC chair in a 52-44 vote, following his nomination by President Donald Trump. Atkins who got nominated four months ago, is a former SEC commissioner from 2002 to 2008. He replaces Mark Uyeda, who had served as acting chair since January after Gary Gensler stepped down.
Atkins brings experience from Wall Street and crypto policy, having co-chaired the Token Alliance until late 2024 and founded Patomak Global Partners, a regulatory consulting firm. He told the Senate his focus will be to build a clear regulatory framework for digital assets.
Under Trump, the SEC has shifted course by launching a Crypto Task Force and dropping several crypto-related investigations started under Gensler.
Atkins and his wife, Sarah Humphreys Atkins, have a combined net worth of at least $327 million. Her family is linked to TAMKO Building Products, which earned $1.2 billion in revenue in 2023.