New SEC chair Paul Atkins praised by experts for impact on Bitcoin

Michael Saylor, CEO of Strategy, expressed support for Paul Atkins following his appointment as the 34th chair of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on April 21, 2025.

“SEC Chairman Paul Atkins will be good for Bitcoin,” Saylor stated in a post on X.

Blue Macellari, head of digital assets at T. Rowe Price, also commented positively on Atkins’ swearing-in during a Bloomberg interview.

She noted the SEC’s recent engagement with the crypto industry, mentioning “close to six or seven roundtables” with professionals.

“I think that that’s gonna feed into the ability to make thoughtful and considerate policies,” she said.

Vincent Liu, chief investment officer at Kronos Research, told that under Atkins, the SEC is expected to finalise custody rules for digital assets, which “will provide the investor protections that institutions demand.”

Liu added that clarification on whether certain digital assets are securities or commodities is also anticipated.

“Together, these two moves will help establish clear custody standards and bring much-needed clarity paving the way for the next wave of crypto product innovation,” he said.

Atkins’ appointment by former President Trump in late 2024 received mixed reactions.

Katherine Dowling of Bitwise Asset Management called him a “great choice,” while Ripple Labs CEO Brad Garlinghouse said he “will bring common sense back to the agency.”

However, Senator Elizabeth Warren criticised Atkins during his nomination hearing, citing his role as SEC commissioner before the 2008 financial crisis and his consulting work with crypto firms including FTX (CRYPTO:FTT).

“Your clients pay you north of $1,200 an hour for advice on how to influence regulators like the SEC," Warren stated.

Liu emphasised the need for “clear guardrails” to avoid conflicts of interest, including mandatory disclosures and ethics oversight.

Atkins disclosed a personal and family financial portfolio exceeding $327 million in a public ethics filing before his confirmation.

At the time of reporting, the Bitcoin (BTC) price was $93,202.75.