SEC chief Atkins picks pro-crypto veteran director to lead corporate finance division
Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Paul Atkins appointed James Moloney on Wednesday to head the agency’s Division of Corporation Finance, placing a pro-crypto veteran at the helm of the influential unit that reviews IPO filings and corporate disclosures.
Moloney, a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, previously worked at the SEC from 1994 to 2000, where he specialized in mergers, acquisitions, and financial reporting.
He will begin his new role next month, succeeding acting director Cicely LaMothe, who will return to her prior position as deputy director.
Crypto guidance under scrutiny
The division Moloney is set to lead plays a central role in reviewing company earnings, executive pay disclosures, and compliance with accounting standards.
In recent months, the unit has also taken on an expanded role in shaping the SEC’s approach to digital assets, issuing guidance that distinguishes between memecoins, stablecoins, and securities.
The stance positions the agency in the middle of an ongoing jurisdictional debate with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Moloney said he intends to pursue “smart, practical, and effective regulations” that will ease disclosure burdens while ensuring investors receive accurate information.
His appointment comes as Congress weighs the Clarity Act, legislation that could shift primary oversight of crypto to the CFTC, while still requiring joint rulemaking with the SEC.
Veteran return at pivotal time
Atkins praised Moloney’s return to the SEC, citing his prior experience inside the agency and in private practice.
He stated:
“I am eager to get to work with Jim, Cicely, and others in the Division of Corporation Finance to modernize and improve our existing rules.”
The appointment highlights the SEC’s increasing emphasis on crypto oversight at a time when regulators face pressure to clarify the rules governing digital assets.
With Moloney in place, the commission’s corporate finance division is expected to play a key role in drafting disclosure requirements that could shape how companies entering public markets report their exposure to cryptocurrencies.
The post SEC chief Atkins picks pro-crypto veteran director to lead corporate finance division appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Disclaimer: The content of this article solely reflects the author's opinion and does not represent the platform in any capacity. This article is not intended to serve as a reference for making investment decisions.
You may also like
Federal Reserve approves stress test reform by a 6-1 vote: Capital requirement volatility halved, sole dissenting vote warns of reduced resilience
The Federal Reserve has officially approved two final rules aimed at increasing transparency and reducing capital requirement volatility by approximately 50%. The new regulations will seek public comments on stress test scenarios and will calculate the capital buffer based on the average of the results from two consecutive years of testing. This averaging mechanism will take effect in 2028. The reforms are the result of years of negotiation within the banking sector and have been welcomed by industry groups. However, critics such as Governor Barr warn that the reforms will weaken the constraints of stress testing and reduce the overall resilience of the banking system.
Metals fade as long yields offset cooler inflation, lower Fed odds - Kitco PM Report
Bitwise brings NEAR to Wall Street – But the chart isn’t impressed
Synopsys and OpenAI reach AI chip design partnership, stock price surges over 7%
Synopsys has signed a multi-year legally binding agreement with OpenAI to jointly develop GPT-Synopsys, a model specifically trained and fine-tuned for chip design tasks. OpenAI will pay Synopsys a subscription fee for tool licensing, and both parties will share revenue based on improvements in chip design achieved by customers using the product.
Crypto prices
More
