Crypto ally Mark Uyeda to serve as interim SEC chair

President Trump’s administration has picked pro-Bitcoin Mark Uyeda as the interim chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

President Donald Trump has selected crypto ally and SEC Commissioner Mark Uyeda to lead the SEC temporarily, pending Senate confirmation of Paul Atkins, Trump’s nominee for the agency’s permanent chair.

The announcement came just hours after Trump was sworn in, officially assuming his position as the country’s first “crypto President.” Uyeda’s name was floated last year as a potential successor to Gary Gensler, the former SEC chair.

However, Trump has nominated digital asset entrepreneur and former SEC official Paul Atkins to take over the commission’s leadership permanently.

Trump’s administration is also shaking up leadership at other financial regulators, including the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Junior commissioner Caroline Pham will head the CFTC as acting chair, as previously reported.

These decisions offer a glimpse into Trump’s approach to crypto regulation, which many anticipate will focus on fostering innovation while reducing enforcement actions against digital asset operators.

Crypto industry advocates may also expect leadership transitions at other agencies, such as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, a key player in the controversial “Operation Choke Point 2.0” agenda.

FDIC chair Marty Gruenberg resigned on Jan. 19, leaving behind a strained relationship between the federal regulator and the blockchain sector.