Leadership Changes at SEC and CFTC: Mark Uyeda and Caroline Pham Appointed as Acting Chairs

• Mark Uyeda Appointed SEC Acting Chairman, Succeeding Gary Gensler, As Agency Navigates Financial Regulation.
• Caroline Pham Named Acting Chair of CFTC, Advocates for Regulatory Sandboxes to Support Crypto Innovations.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) have both announced new acting chairs. Mark Uyeda, a Republican SEC Commissioner, has been selected as the SEC’s new acting chairman, following the conclusion of Gary Gensler’s term.

Trump appoints pro Bitcoin Mark Uyeda to replace Gary Gensler as Chair of the SEC

Look at the actions 👀 pic.twitter.com/korfbW68kA

— Quinten | 048.eth (@QuintenFrancois) January 20, 2025

Hester Peirce, another Republican commissioner, expressed her congratulations to Uyeda on social media.

SEC’s New Leadership and CFTC’s Acting Chair Appointment 

Mark Uyeda’s appointment comes at a crucial time for the SEC, which has seen substantial regulatory developments under Gensler’s leadership since 2021 . Uyeda’s position as acting chairman is pivotal as the agency continues to navigate complex financial market, including the evolving cryptocurrency market.

🇺🇸 PR0 #BITCOIN AND CRYPTO MARK UYEDA IS NOW AN ACTING CHAIR OF THE SEC 🤯

HE SAYS, “THE WAR ON CRYPTO MUST END.” pic.twitter.com/nIKC3NAXbl

— Vivek⚡️ (@Vivek4real_) January 20, 2025

Meanwhile, Caroline Pham has been appointed as the acting chair of the CFTC, according to Bloomberg. Pham has advocated for clear regulatory frameworks for the cryptocurrency industry and has proposed the idea of “regulatory sandboxes” to support emerging crypto businesses.

🚨NEW: This morning in an interview with the inimitable Stuart Varney, Republican @SECGov Commissioner Mark Uyeda called for safe harbors and regulatory sandboxes to allow for innovation in the #crypto industry.

This is the first time Uyeda has publicly called for these ideas. pic.twitter.com/WlDMk4EFaC

— Eleanor Terrett (@EleanorTerrett) November 22, 2024

Future Leadership Prospects

The permanent chair positions for both agencies remain undecided. Pham is considered a top candidate for the CFTC’s permanent chair.

Additionally, Brian Quintenz, head of crypto policy at Andreessen Horowitz, is also among the frontrunners to lead the CFTC, highlighting the increasing intersection of venture capital interests and regulatory leadership.