Paul Atkins Confirmed as SEC Chair in 52-44 Vote

The US Senate has confirmed Paul Atkins as the new chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in a 52-44 vote, with lawmakers largely voting along party lines. Atkins, who previously served as an SEC member from 2002 to 2008, was nominated by President Donald Trump. His appointment comes several months after Trump named Atkins to lead the commission late last year.

Atkins is set to take over from Mark Uyeda, who has served as the SEC’s acting chair since January 20. Uyeda, along with Commissioners Hester Peirce and Caroline Crenshaw, welcomed Atkins in a statement, expressing their anticipation of his contributions to the commission's mission on behalf of the investing public.

Atkins is expected to bring a market-driven approach to his new role, advocating for innovation and a supportive stance toward the digital asset sector. His confirmation comes at a time when the SEC has been scaling back its crypto enforcement efforts under the leadership of acting chair Mark Uyeda. Uyeda established a task force led by Hester Peirce to reevaluate the agency’s strategy for regulating digital assets, signaling a shift from the previous approach.

During his confirmation hearing, Atkins pledged to establish a clear and principled regulatory framework for digital assets. He expressed a desire to keep politics out of regulatory decisions and advance clear rules that encourage investment in the U.S. economy. Atkins criticized "unclear, overly politicized" rules that he said impede capital formation and promised to work with Congress on a "rational" crypto framework.

Atkins will work closely with other SEC commissioners, including Republicans Hester Peirce and Mark Uyeda, and Democratic commissioner Caroline Crenshaw. His confirmation follows a narrow 13-11 Senate Banking Committee approval on April 3. Atkins is expected to be sworn in and assume his new role in the coming days.