SEC Unveils Crypto Task Force: Peirce Leads 15-Member Team

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has unveiled the key members of its Crypto Task Force, a dedicated team advising the Commission on matters related to cryptocurrencies and digital assets. The announcement, made on Monday, highlights the agency's commitment to addressing the complexities of the crypto landscape.

The Task Force, led by Commissioner Hester Peirce, a prominent advocate for clearer crypto regulations, comprises experienced agency officials and digital asset experts. It is composed of staff from Acting Chairman Mark Uyeda's office and other divisions and offices across the Commission. The team brings together top talent in law, policy, and blockchain regulation, with a total of 15 members.

The Task Force includes a Chief of Staff, Chief Counsel, Chief Policy Advisor, and Chief of Operations, along with 10 senior advisors from various SEC divisions. Richard Gabbert, a longtime SEC staff member and Peirce's former counsel, has been appointed chief of staff. Mike Selig, previously a partner at the New York office of Willkie Farr & Gallagher and an intern at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), serves as the new chief counsel.

Other members include crypto industry veterans like Landon Zinda, former policy director at the crypto think tank Coin Center, and Veronica Reynolds, a former attorney at Baker Hostetler LLP with a focus on NFTs and metaverse-related legal issues. Both will serve as senior advisors to the task force, alongside career SEC staff. Taylor Asher, who previously advised former Commissioner Mark Uyeda on policy, will serve as chief policy advisor. Bernard Nolan, formerly with the SEC's Division of Investment Management, brings expertise in blockchain securities laws.

Commissioner Hester Peirce emphasized the Crypto Task Force's expertise and commitment to finding 'workable solutions' to difficult crypto regulatory problems. The task force is formed as pressure increases on the SEC to clarify its position on crypto regulation. Interestingly, on March 21, the task force will hold its first roundtable discussion, titled "How We Got Here and How We Get Out – Defining Security Status," as part of an ongoing series on crypto regulation.