SEC Chair Atkins Champions Crypto Self-Custody Rights

- At June 9 SEC roundtable, SEC Chair Paul Atkins: self-custody a "foundational American value." - Atkins indicated potential shift towards more regulatory flexibility for self-custody. On June 9, 2025, during the SEC’s final Crypto Task Force Roundtable titled "DeFi and the American Spirit," SEC Chairman Paul Atkins called the right to self-custody of crypto assets a "foundational American value." This statement potentially signals a softer regulatory stance. Atkins also noted a potential shift towards greater regulatory flexibility for self-custody, a move contrasting with the previous administration's stricter stance on crypto regulation. Furthermore, he directed SEC staff to explore whether they could issue further guidance or rulemaking to assist registrants in transacting with self-custody software systems in compliance with existing laws. This directive marks a significant change in the SEC's approach since President Donald Trump took office and former SEC Chair Gary Gensler departed. Atkins' remark not only indicates a warmer stance on crypto assets but also signals potential regulatory adaptations to support the right to self-custody. This development highlights ongoing efforts within the SEC to align regulatory frameworks with emerging decentralized finance (DeFi) technologies. On June 9, CoinMarketCap reported that as of 12:00 UTC, Bitcoin (BTC) was trading at $34,500, with its 24-hour volume having increased by 1.8%. CoinMarketCap also reported on June 9 that Ethereum (ETH) was trading at $2,450, its 24-hour trading volume up by 2.1%. This data underscores the market's response to the SEC's evolving stance on cryptocurrency regulation and self-custody.