SEC member Hester Peirce, also known as “Crypto Mom,” discussed the agency’s past policies regarding crypto assets and the future of the sector in an interview.
Peirce stated that the approach taken during former chairman Gary Gensler’s tenure was “wrong in method, even if the intention was right,” and that this slowed down industry development.
Peirce argued that the SEC has not made sufficient efforts to understand the cryptocurrency world in past years. He stated that the regulator should engage in more dialogue with industry stakeholders before taking action, adding:
“I think we took the wrong approach in the past. While some intentions were good, the execution wasn’t right, and that’s why we wasted time. If we had established a framework from the very beginning, we could be in a much more productive place today.”
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Peirce also addressed malicious activity in the crypto market, arguing that it’s important for a regulator to know its limits. He stated that not every issue falls within the SEC’s jurisdiction, saying, “Just because there’s a problem doesn’t necessarily mean it’s ‘my problem.’ Congress doesn’t want us to overstep our jurisdiction.”
Peirce, speaking specifically about “memecoins” and assets that are not considered securities, reminded investors to be cautious.
Peirce issued a clear warning that the SEC’s protective shield would not apply to losses in non-security assets: “I want people to be alert because our regulatory regime isn’t there to support them.”
Peirce pointed to a future (DeFi Mullet) where the crypto world and traditional finance are intertwined. He noted the increasing interest in the tokenization of real-world assets (RWA) and argued that the institution’s focus should always be on “transparency and disclosure.”
Peirce, whose term ends at the end of the year, said that his successor will have a very broad and interesting agenda. He stated that stablecoin integration, tokenization of money market funds, and custody issues will be key topics for the future.
*This is not investment advice.