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Industry leaders see hope for lighter regulation after Trump’s return, with SEC lawsuits against Binance, Crypto.com and Ripple being dismissed under new
Donald Trump’s return to the White House has sparked optimism in the cryptocurrency sector, with executives like ConsenSys CEO Joe Lubin suggesting the new administration could ease the SEC’s legal pressure on crypto firms [1]. The speculation follows a series of SEC case dismissals that have unfolded since President Trump issued an executive order reshaping crypto regulation [3].
Key takeaways
Joe Lubin voiced his hope at DevCon 2024 in Thailand, noting that Trump’s promise to replace SEC Chair Gary Gensler with a more crypto‑friendly appointee could “save hundreds of millions of dollars” for the sector [1]. Lubin also referenced ConsenSys’s own legal battles, including a dismissed lawsuit accusing the SEC of trying to label Ethereum a security, and a newer allegation that the firm operated an unregistered broker through MetaMask Swaps [1]. While some leaders, such as Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, remain critical of the SEC’s past actions, the broader sentiment is that Trump’s “pro‑crypto agenda” may soon translate into regulatory relief [1].
Concurrently, the SEC under new Chair Paul Atkins has begun to unwind its aggressive enforcement campaign. The agency filed a joint motion with Binance to pause litigation in February and later moved to dismiss the case with prejudice, effectively ending a two‑year dispute [3]. Similar reversals occurred with Crypto.com, whose investigation was closed without enforcement, and with Ripple, whose long‑running lawsuit was settled after both parties agreed to end the case [3]. These developments align with a Trump executive order that prohibited a central bank digital currency, created a crypto‑focused task force, and gave agencies a 60‑day window to revise existing rules [3].
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The task force aims to establish clear regulatory lines, provide paths to registration, create disclosure frameworks, and deploy enforcement resources judiciously.
As of the initial days of the administration, the March 2022 executive order, which urged regulators to reduce risks posed by digital assets, had not been repealed.
Paul Atkins has been nominated to lead the SEC but is awaiting Senate confirmation, while Commissioner Mark Uyeda is currently serving as the acting chair.
Despite the regulatory easing, the SEC’s new direction faces scrutiny. Democratic senators Elizabeth Warren and Adam Schiff have called for an ethics probe into the Trump‑family’s $TRUMP meme token, alleging that the venture could be used to funnel money to the former president’s inner circle [2]. Representative Maxine Waters echoed these concerns, warning of foreign influence tied to crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun’s involvement with Trump‑linked projects [2]. Such criticism underscores the challenge for Chair Atkins, who must balance the push for clearer, innovation‑friendly policies with the need to maintain the agency’s impartiality [2].
The convergence of political change, regulatory retreat, and industry optimism suggests a potential turning point for U.S. crypto markets. If the SEC continues to drop enforcement actions while establishing clearer rules, firms may regain confidence to expand services and attract investment. However, ongoing political scrutiny of Trump‑affiliated crypto ventures could complicate the SEC’s reform agenda, risking perceptions of favoritism. The next months will likely reveal whether the regulatory momentum translates into durable policy shifts or stalls under partisan pressure.
AI-assisted synthesis by the TrendWatcher Editorial Desk · sourced from 3 outlets · Jun 12, 2026 · How we report
Proposed by supporters like Senator Cynthia Lummis and discussed by Donald Trump, it involves the U.S. government holding bitcoin as a reserve asset, similar to how it holds gold.