Donald Trump picks crypto enthusiast Paul Atkins for SEC chair

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Donald Trump has nominated Paul Atkins to chair the US Securities and Exchange Commission, signalling a looser regulatory agenda at Wall Street’s top watchdog.

“Paul is a proven leader for common sense regulations,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, adding that Atkins, a former SEC commissioner, “also recognises that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before”.

The announcement came shortly after Trump nominated Gail Slater to head the Department of Justice’s antitrust division, calling on JD Vance’s top aide to sustain a crackdown on Big Tech.

The president-elect said in a post on Truth Social that Big Tech had “run wild for years, stifling competition in our most innovative sector” while “using its market power to crack down on the rights of so many Americans, as well as those of Little Tech!”

“I was proud to fight these abuses in my First Term, and our Department of Justice’s antitrust team will continue that work under Gail’s leadership,” he added.

Atkins and Slater did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

This is a developing story