SEC’s Paul Atkins Leads Friday Crypto Custody Roundtable Amid Regulation Shift

Newly-confirmed United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Paul Atkins is slated to speak at the agency’s upcoming crypto roundtable on Friday, the organization announced on Wednesday, April 23.

New SEC Chair To Give Opening Remarks At Roundtable

Titled “Know Your Custodian: Key Considerations for Crypto Custody,” the federal regulator is set to kickoff the roundtable with opening remarks from Atkins, Crypto Task Force Chief of Staff Richard Gabbert, and Commissioners Hester Piece, Mark Uyeda, and Caroline Crenshaw.

Chairman Paul Atkins will be giving remarks at our next crypto roundtable on April 25. See additional details: https://t.co/EuwqRHLbDy

— U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (@SECGov) April 23, 2025

Friday’s roundtable marks the third in a series launched by the SEC’s newly-established Crypto Task Force which seeks to develop a “comprehensive and clear regulatory framework for crypto” by collaborating with the public “to set the SEC on a sensible regulatory path.”

Held at SEC headquarters in D.C. from 1 – 5 p.m., Etana Custody Inc. CEO Brandon Russell, and 1kx General Counsel Larry Florio, among others.

“It is important for the SEC to grapple with custody issues, which are some of the most challenging as we seek to integrate crypto assets into our regulatory structure,” said Peirce, leader of the Crypto Task Force. “We look forward to hearing from experts on these important issues.”

SEC Shifts Crypto Regulatory Course

The latest SEC task force stands in opposition to the agency’s previous regulation-by-enforcement approach toward the digital asset sector under former head Gary Gensler.

However, the regulator has pulled back on their enforcement strategy in recent months, dropping litigation against several crypto industry mainstays such as Kraken, Coinbase, and more.

Atkins, who was formally sworn in as SEC chair on Tuesday, is largely seen as a crypto-friendly choice to lead the agency comparatively.

“A top priority of my chairmanship will be to provide a formal regulatory foundation for digital assets,” Atkins said during his swearing-in on Tuesday.

“Through a rational, coherent, and principled approach, we will work to ensure that the United States is the best and most secure place in the world to do business,” he added.