Atkins Sworn in as New Chairman of the U.S. SEC

Paul Atkins has been appointed as the new chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), sworn in on April 21. He previously served as an SEC commissioner from 2002 to 2008 and is known for a pro-business approach.

Key points:

Atkins was confirmed by the Senate following a 13-11 vote by the Senate Banking Committee.
He is expected to continue a deregulatory agenda, building on interim chief Mark Uyeda's initiatives to roll back crypto-related lawsuits and pause climate disclosure enforcement.
His focus includes providing clarity for digital assets and encouraging capital formation.
Democrats express concern over his past decisions during the 2008 financial crisis and his ties to former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried.
Changes may reduce SEC involvement with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and slow down the PCAOB's regulatory agenda, potentially easing compliance burdens for auditors.