Paul Atkins In The Lead For SEC Chair In Latest Kalshi Poll

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Julia Smith

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Julia Smith

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Julia is an experienced editor with a passion for covering a wide variety of beats. She loves all things politics and regularly covers regulatory updates on emerging technology here for Crypto News.

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November 28, 2024 10:49 EST

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Former United States and Exchange Commissioner (SEC) Paul Atkins is in the lead to become the SEC Chair under President-elect Donald Trump on prediction market Kalshi, a new poll on the betting platform reveals.

Ex-SEC Commissioner Paul Atkins Favorited By Kalshi Bettors

As of Thursday morning, Atkins has a whopping 48 percent lead, with 68 percent of participating Kalshi bettors voting in his favor.

Former U.S. Comptroller of the Currency Brian Brooks trails in second place with 20 percent of the vote, while current SEC Commissioner Mark Uyeda follows behind with just seven percent of the vote.

Other lesser-voted on potential candidates include blockchain lawyer Teresa Goody Guillén, SEC General Counsel Robert Stebbins, and SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce.

Atkins’ lead in Kalshi’s poll comes just days after Fox Business journalist Eleanor Terrett spoked to anonymous sources who revealed that Atkins is the favorite amongst Trump’s transition team to nab the coveted regulatory role.

According to Terrett, Atkins – who previously served under SEC chairs Richard Breeden and Arthur Levitt – is not only “crypto savvy,” but has a “deep understanding of the inner workings of the agency.”

“Atkins is seen as being capable of establishing a pro-innovation agenda while returning the agency to the so-called “gold standard” many in the Republican Party feel was lost under outgoing chair Gary Gensler,” Terrett said in a November 26 X post.

SEC Chair Gary Gensler Resigning

Current SEC Chair Gary Gensler has long been slammed by Trump for his regulation-by-enforcement approach to the blockchain sector, with the former reality television star vowing to fire the federal regulator upon returning to the Oval Office.

Just last week, Gensler announced his intention to step down from his position at the federal agency ahead of Trump’s inauguration come January.

“The Securities and Exchange Commission is a remarkable agency,” Gensler said in a recent statement. “It has been an honor of a lifetime to serve with them on behalf of everyday Americans and ensure that our capital markets remain the best in the world.”

Shortly following Gensler’s announcement, SEC Commissioner Jaime Lizárraga announced his intention to resign from the agency.

“Until my departure in January, I will remain fully engaged in the Commission’s ongoing work and activities,” he said in a November 22 statement.

With both Gensler and Lizárraga stepping down, Trump will have jurisdiction over who will take their positions, effectively shaping the regulatory direction of the SEC itself.