U.S. SEC's steadiest crypto advocate, Hester Peirce, to depart next week
Her exit leaves the SEC with two commissioners as the agency advances new crypto policy and token classification rules.
- SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce announced Friday her resignation effective Oct. 2, ending years of efforts to establish clear crypto regulatory rules during the tenures of Republican Jay Clayton and Democrat Gary Gensler.
- Blockchain Association CEO Summer Mersinger also confirmed her departure effective Oct. 16, with both exits announced 10 days after the Senate blocked the Clarity Act the industry had long pursued.
- Often called "Crypto Mom," Peirce led the SEC's Crypto Task Force and championed the "innovation exemption" and Regulation Crypto Assets, creating pathways for crypto offerings without triggering stringent securities regulations.
- Peirce's departure leaves the SEC commission with just two members: Chairman Paul Atkins and Republican appointee Mark Uyeda, though it remains unclear if President Trump will seek to fill the vacancies.
- Stablecoin issuer Circle announced CFO Jeremy Fox-Geen will step down by year-end, capping a week of leadership transitions in Washington following years of industry-resistant enforcement actions from the regulator.
16 Articles
16 Articles
Crypto Is Losing Two Top Washington Voices as Mersinger and Peirce Set Their Exits
Blockchain Association CEO Summer Mersinger will step down Oct. 16 and SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce leaves Oct. 2. Both announced their exits 10 days after the Senate blocked the Clarity Act.
Key points of the news: Hester Peirce presented her official letter of resignation addressed to the White House, establishing the effective cessation of her duties by October 2, 2026. The official occupied the post of commissioner of the United States Stock Exchange and Securities Commission (SEC) continuously since January 2026. ... Read more
Illustrative image Photo: PexelsCommissioner of the SEC and defender of rules for cryptoactives, Peirce leaves the post on 2 October
SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, known as Crypto Mom, is stepping down on October 2, 2026, after an eight-year tenure focused on Bitcoin and digital asset policy.
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