The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has disbanded its crypto enforcement task force, replacing it with a smaller unit focused on broader emerging technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, and social media.
This shift marks a departure from the aggressive crypto crackdown under former Chairman Gary Gensler and signals a policy shift under the Trump administration, potentially easing regulatory pressure on the digital asset industry.
Instead of targeting crypto exclusively, the new cyber division will oversee a wider range of financial crimes. The task force has been downsized from 50 to 30 members, consisting of fraud experts and lawyers from various SEC offices.
Acting SEC Chairman Mark Uyeda emphasized that the focus will be both investor protection and fostering innovation, stating,
“We will root out those seeking to misuse innovation while maintaining confidence in new technologies.”
The newly formed unit will be led by Laura D’Allaird, a former SEC Division of Enforcement official. Uyeda has taken several steps toward a more industry-friendly regulatory approach, including dropping an appeal that had threatened decentralized finance (DeFi) projects. While the SEC will continue to monitor crypto-related fraud, enforcement efforts will no longer disproportionately target the sector.
The crypto community has largely welcomed the restructuring, seeing it as a step toward a fairer regulatory framework. Many believe this could lead to clearer and more constructive crypto policies after years of regulatory uncertainty.
As the SEC’s oversight evolves, industry participants will be watching closely to see how its priorities shift in the coming months.
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