Donald Trump is expected to replace the current SEC Chair soon, fulfilling his campaign promise to make changes in the regulatory approach toward crypto. Over recent years, the SEC has taken an aggressive stance on crypto regulation, leading many to anticipate shifts with the upcoming change in U.S. presidential leadership. Trump had pledged to remove the SEC Chair, Gary Gensler, on his first day in office, criticizing Gensler’s enforcement-heavy approach toward digital assets. This has sparked widespread speculation in the crypto community about who might assume the role next.
During the campaign, Trump’s promise to dismiss Gensler stirred discussions about possible replacements. On November 6, Galaxy Digital CEO Mike Novogratz mentioned Hester Peirce, a current SEC Commissioner and known critic of Gensler’s approach, as a strong candidate for the role. However, crypto lawyer Jake Chervinsky suggested that Peirce’s chances might be lower than those of Mark Uyeda, a former SEC commissioner. Chervinsky emphasized that Trump’s priority should be reshaping the SEC’s crypto policy.
Who Might Be the Next SEC Chair? The community has floated several potential candidates with prior experience as SEC Commissioners or other leadership roles in finance. Many of these candidates have shown pro-crypto leanings. Among the prospects are Hester Peirce, dubbed “crypto mom” for her advocacy within the community, Robinhood CLO Dan Gallagher, a former SEC commissioner under Obama, and Chris Giancarlo, author of “CryptoDad: The Fight for the Future of Money.”
The crypto community is eagerly watching for changes in SEC leadership following the U.S. elections, hoping for a shift from the aggressive regulatory approach marked by high-profile lawsuits against companies like Ripple and Coinbase.
