SEC's Cryptocurrency Enforcement Actions Decline Under New Leadership

Cryptonews reports that a Cornerstone Research study reveals a significant decrease in cryptocurrency-related enforcement actions by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 2025. According to ChainCatcher, the report highlights that the SEC initiated only 13 enforcement actions in 2025, marking a 60% drop from the 33 actions in 2024, reaching the lowest level since 2017. Of these 13 cases, five were initiated before former SEC Chairman Gary Gensler's departure, while the remaining eight under Paul Atkins' leadership primarily focused on fraud allegations. This shift indicates a change in enforcement priorities from broad registration theories to clear cases of investor harm. The total fines imposed on digital asset market participants in 2025 amounted to $142 million, representing just 3% of the total fines in 2024. Cornerstone Research's head suggests this reflects a transformation in the SEC's approach to digital asset regulation under Atkins, with expectations that U.S. cryptocurrency regulation in 2026 will rely more on rule-making rather than sudden litigation.