Former Blockchain Exec Joins SEC As Director Of Trading And Markets

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced several new hires, including those with experience in the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry.

In a Friday notice, the SEC said Jamie Selway would join as the agency’s director of trading and markets. Selway worked as the global head of institutional markets for Blockchain.com from 2018 to 2019.

Brian Daly, a partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld LLP with experience in crypto, will also join the commission, heading its investment management division.

“I’ve long respected and appreciated the SEC’s commitment to regulatory oversight while advising clients on compliance and providing public comment from the investment management point of view during agency rulemaking,” said Daly. 

The staff appointments came as lawmakers in the US Congress are considering legislation to clarify the authority the SEC and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) would have over digital assets. The CLARITY Act, under consideration in the House of Representatives, is expected to head for a floor vote soon. 

Related: SEC Chair bashes Gensler’s approach to crypto, defends self-custody

On Thursday, the SEC announced that it was “withdrawing certain notices of proposed rulemaking” that were issued between March 2022 and November 2023, including some related to crypto.

The proposed rules on digital assets could have expanded the SEC’s definition of “exchange” to include decentralized finance protocols and provided more stringent requirements for custodying crypto.

Still understaffed at US financial regulators

Though the US Senate confirmed SEC Chair Paul Atkins to lead the regulator in April, the commission still has one vacant seat as of June, with no official nominations yet from President Donald Trump. Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw, whose term ended in June 2024, is expected to leave by 2026 — commissioners can continue their roles for up to 18 months after their terms expire.

At the CFTC leadership, there have been three vacancies following the departures of former chair Rostin Behnam, and commissioners Christy Goldsmith Romero and Summer Mersinger. Lawmakers in the Senate are considering Trump’s nomination of former commissioner Brian Quintenz to chair the CFTC, with no other picks to staff the agency as of Friday.

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