SEC Announces Major Crypto Policy Shift Under New Administration

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has indicated a significant regulatory shift under the new administration, with the Trump administration pledging to overhaul crypto policies.

During a conference on Monday, SEC Acting Chairman Mark Uyeda reaffirmed his dedication to transforming the agency, offering a critical assessment of Gary Gensler’s management of the crypto sector and broader financial markets.

“What occurred under the Biden Administration was a stark aberration from longstanding norms regarding the Commission’s legal authority, policy priorities, and enforcement approach,” Uyeda stated, reflecting long-held concerns within the crypto community about regulatory overreach.

A key point from Uyeda’s speech was the revocation of Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 121, which had limited banks and broker-dealers from handling crypto assets. Additionally, Uyeda introduced a broader initiative called the “Make IPOs Great Again” plan, aimed at streamlining the IPO process and encouraging more companies to go public.

Central to this initiative was the reversal of restrictive policies that have impeded businesses, particularly crypto firms, from efficiently raising capital.

“In the past, the number of IPOs has drastically declined,” Uyeda noted. “As entrepreneurs grow businesses past the startup stage, they will likely require capital from institutional investors, such as venture capital funds. Without attractive opportunities for the company to sell itself or become publicly traded, what incentive does a venture fund have to make an investment? …there are things that the Commission can do to help make IPOs attractive again.”

Uyeda also highlighted that Commissioner Hester Peirce would lead a newly established crypto task force to develop a comprehensive and practical regulatory framework for digital assets, “providing realistic paths to registration and crafting sensible disclosure standards.”

Following these developments, the XRP community has become increasingly optimistic, viewing the SEC’s shift as a potential opportunity for Ripple to reconsider its long-delayed IPO.

With SEC Chair Gary Gensler stepping down and a change in regulatory policy, speculation around Ripple’s potential IPO has intensified, with some anticipating a launch as early as 2025 or 2026.

Notable figures in the XRP community, including attorney John Deaton, have commented on potential valuations, linking Ripple’s stock price to its XRP holdings. Recently, popular XRP analyst Nietzbux suggested that Ripple could trade at three times the value of its XRP holdings, drawing parallels to MicroStrategy’s valuation model. According to this approach, if XRP reaches $8.72, Ripple’s valuation could surpass $1 trillion, a scenario market veteran Peter Brandt has previously considered possible.

Moreover, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has previously expressed interest in taking the company public. However, Ripple’s long-standing legal battle with the SEC, which began in 2020, has been a significant obstacle, prompting Ripple to shelve those ambitions until clearer regulations were in place.

While IPO discussions remain speculative, the SEC’s evolving stance could be a turning point for Ripple and the broader crypto industry, potentially paving the way for more crypto companies to pursue public offerings.