SEC’s Paul Atkins Dials Down Enforcement by 30%-Because Why Not?

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Ah, the delights of change! Consulting company Cornerstone Research has delivered a delightful morsel of news: under the leadership of the ever-so-ambitious Paul Atkins, the number of SEC enforcement actions has plummeted by a whopping 30% in fiscal year 2025 compared to its heyday under the previous administration. The drama! The intrigue! Can you feel the excitement building? 📉

In a report that seems almost too good to be true, Cornerstone, in its infinite wisdom, announced that, compared to fiscal year 2024, the SEC has been far less diligent in keeping those pesky public companies and their subsidiaries in line. How could this happen, you ask? Well, apparently, this reduction in vigor is nothing short of “consistent with the general pattern for other fiscal years when the SEC administration changed.” Ah, yes, it’s all so predictable, isn’t it? The circle of SEC life! 💼

SEC

But wait, it gets juicier! While it’s true that the SEC, under its new leadership, has been rather lenient in its investigations (notably dropping the case against crypto darling Coinbase in February), don’t expect a sympathy card for the cryptocurrency industry just yet. The SEC has merely scaled back its enforcement, no biggie. Who’s counting? 🙄

Meanwhile, as if the drama of regulatory upheaval weren’t enough, the SEC’s Division of Examinations has released its “examination priorities” for fiscal year 2026, and surprise!-cryptocurrencies and digital assets are conspicuously absent from the list. Shocking, isn’t it? That’s what happens when you make a “top priority” out of creating a “firm regulatory foundation for digital assets” (with all the precision of a drunk juggler). Atkins seems to think that a “rational, coherent, and principled approach” is the key, though who can say what that actually looks like in practice? 🤔

And, as if that weren’t enough, the SEC had a little vacation during the 43-day government shutdown, where it operated with a skeleton staff, putting a temporary halt on enforcement and oversight. Naturally, when the shutdown ended, they jumped right back into their regular schedule of reviewing IPOs, ETFs, and other matters of such riveting importance. 🍿

Waiting for the Market Structure Bill-Because Congress Never Hurries

Now, in the world of digital assets, the suspense builds once more. Republican leaders in the Senate Banking Committee have grand plans to pass a comprehensive bill on digital asset market structure by early 2026. Of course, that was supposed to happen before the end of 2025, but who are we kidding? With delays from the government shutdown and Senate Democrats throwing a tantrum over DeFi provisions, it’s anyone’s guess when that bill will actually see the light of day. 💡

If the bill miraculously passes, it could grant the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) significant authority over digital assets, which, in theory, might not be as fun for the crypto world as a free-for-all in the Wild West. But no worries-Atkins assures us that if the SEC ever gets its paws on crypto, it won’t go “lax” on enforcement. Ah, the sweet scent of looming regulation! 😅

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2025-11-20 20:33