SEC crypto task force to release first report ‘in the next few months’
US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Paul Atkins appeared before lawmakers in one of his first hearings since becoming chair of the financial regulator, addressing questions about his plans for the cryptocurrency industry.
In a May 20 hearing discussing oversight of the SEC, Atkins reiterated his pledge to make regulating digital assets a “key priority” while chair. In response to questions from North Carolina Representative Chuck Edwards, the SEC chair did not directly answer how much of the regulator’s funds were used to support the crypto task force headed by Commissioner Hester Peirce, and said its findings were “still under development.”
“We should be having something here in the next few months with proposed steps forward,” said Atkins in response to the task force’s first report.
The SEC chair’s appearance at the oversight hearing was one of his first since being sworn into office in April. Nominated by Donald Trump, Atkins, also a former commissioner, was seen by many lawmakers and those in the digital asset industry as someone who could radically change the SEC’s approach to crypto.
Looking to Congress for help with regulatory clarity
Atkins’ remarks came less than 24 hours after US Senators voted to move forward on consideration of a bill to regulate stablecoins, the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins Act, or GENIUS Act. The bill is one of many related to aspects of digital assets that could affect how the SEC regulates the industry alongside agencies like the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
“Whatever happens in Congress […] that will help undergird what we do,” said Atkins.
Related: Paul Atkins: ‘Crypto markets have been languishing in SEC limbo’
Since being sworn into office in April, the SEC chair has given opening remarks and overseen the commission’s roundtable events on digital assets. The next event, scheduled for June 9, will have SEC commissioners and industry leaders discuss issues related to decentralized finance.
Magazine: SEC’s U-turn on crypto leaves key questions unanswered
Bitcoin briefly lost all of its gains this year after the crypto markets bled over the weekend, despite the US government reopening on Thursday, which was expected to provide much-needed relief to the markets.
Bitcoin (BTC) fell to a low of $93,029 on Sunday, down 25% from its all-time high in October. It started the year at $93,507.
It has since rebounded to around $94,209, CoinGecko data shows.
This year was tipped to be a strong one for the crypto markets after US President Donald Trump was inaugurated on Jan. 20 and formed the most pro-crypto administration to date, which has followed through on most of his promises.
Regulatory momentum under the Trump administration has been accompanied by an explosion in corporate Bitcoin treasury adoption and more inflows into the spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds.
However, Trump’s war on tariffs and the US government shutdown — the latter of which ended on Thursday after a record 43 days — have contributed to multiple double-digit Bitcoin price pullbacks throughout the year.
Bitcoin whales have also slowed price rallies
Another key catalyst seen behind Bitcoin’s price slump has been OG Bitcoiners and whales selling off portions of their holdings, compressing upside even in light of positive industry developments.
However, Glassnode analysts last week said the “OG Whales Dumping” Bitcoin narrative isn’t as strong as it is made out to be, explaining that it is “normal bull-market behaviour,” particularly during the late stages of bull runs.
“This steady rise reflects increasing distribution pressure from older investor cohorts — a pattern typical of late-cycle profit-taking, not a sudden exodus of whales.”
Related: Peter Schiff calls Strategy’s model ‘fraud,’ challenges Saylor to debate
Bitcoin isn’t alone — Ether (ETH) and Solana (SOL) are down 7.95% and 28.3% respectively from the start of 2025, while most altcoins have been hit even harder.
Four-year cycle thesis still not in effect, analyst says
Industry analysts are also speculating whether the four-year cycle thesis remains in effect, despite the crypto markets having far more institutional and regulatory backing compared to earlier market cycles.
Bitwise chief investment officer Matt Hougan is one of a few analysts who believe Bitcoin will boom in 2026 due to the “debasement trade” thesis playing out, while the broader markets will benefit from increased adoption in stablecoin, tokenization and decentralized finance.
“I think the underlying fundamentals are just so sound,” Hougan said last Wednesday.
“I just think those are too big to keep down. So I think 2026 will be a good year.”
Magazine: If the crypto bull run is ending… it’s time to buy a Ferrari: Crypto Kid
Many Labour MPs have been left shellshocked after the chaotic political self-sabotage of the past week.
Bafflement, anger, disappointment, and sheer frustration are all on relatively open display at the circular firing squad which seems to have surrounded the prime minister.
The botched effort to flush out backroom plotters and force Wes Streeting to declare his loyalty ahead of the budget has instead led even previously loyal Starmerites to predict the PM could be forced out of office before the local elections in May.
“We have so many councillors coming up for election across the country,” one says, “and at the moment it looks like they’re going to be wiped out. That’s our base – we just can’t afford to lose them. I like Keir [Starmer] but there’s only a limited window left to turn things around. There’s a real question of urgency.”
Another criticised a “boys club” at No 10 who they claimed have “undermined” the prime minister and “forgotten they’re meant to be serving the British people.”
There’s clearly widespread muttering about what to do next – and even a degree of enviousness at the lack of a regicidal 1922 committee mechanism, as enjoyed by the Tories.
“Leadership speculation is destabilising,” one said. “But there’s really no obvious strategy. Andy Burnham isn’t even an MP. You’d need a stalking horse candidate and we don’t have one. There’s no 1922. It’s very messy.”
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Starmer’s faithfuls are ‘losing faith’
Others are gunning for the chancellor after months of careful pitch-rolling for manifesto-breaching tax rises in the budget were ripped up overnight.
“Her career is toast,” one told me. “Rachel has just lost all credibility. She screwed up on the manifesto. She screwed up on the last two fiscal events, costing the party huge amounts of support and leaving the economy stagnating.
“Having now walked everyone up the mountain of tax rises and made us vote to support them on the opposition day debate two days ago, she’s now worried her job is at risk and has bottled it.
“Talk to any major business or investor and they are holding off investing in the UK until it is clear what the UK’s tax policy is going to be, putting us in a situation where the chancellor is going to have to go through this all over again in six months – which just means no real economic growth for another six months.”
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Why is the economy flatlining?
Read more:
Starmer and Reeves ditch plans to raise income tax
Former chancellor Osborne is shock contender to head HSBC
After less than 18 months in office, the government is stuck in a political morass largely of its own making.
Treasury sources have belatedly argued that the chancellor’s pre-budget change of heart on income tax is down to better-than-expected economic forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility.
That should be a cause of celebration. The question is whether she and the PM are now too damaged to make that case to the country – and rescue their benighted prospects.
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