: US President-elect Donald Trump nominated veteran Washington attorney Paul Atkins to chair the Securities and Exchange Commission , a move cheered by the cryptocurrency industry as bitcoin broke the $100,000 mark for the first time.
“Paul is a proven leader for common sense regulations,“ Trump said in a statement that emphasized Atkins’ commitment to “robust, innovative” capital markets. During the presidential campaign, Trump drew heavy financial support from cryptocurrency backers, some of whom are also close to the Republican’s mega-donor, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.The digital assets industry has been eager for a change at the SEC, with outgoing chair Gary Gensler having taken a hostile posture on the sector.
Kristin Smith, CEO of the Blockchain Association, cheered the nomination, calling Atkins an “excellent” choice. Trump in recent days has put forth a number of picks for multiple cabinet posts and other nominated positions.