Potential SEC Chair’s Crypto Investments Unveiled

Donald Trump’s nominee for the chair of the SEC, Paul Atkins, holds shares in three cryptocurrency companies: Securitize, Anchorage Digital, and Off the Chain Capital. This was reported by Fortune, citing the politician’s income statement.

The information was disclosed ahead of Atkins’ Senate confirmation hearing, scheduled for March 27.

According to the documents, the nominee served on the board of directors of Securitize and holds company options valued up to $500,000. Additionally, Atkins invested between $250,000 and $500,000 in Anchorage Digital. His stake in the crypto fund Off the Chain Capital ranges from $1 million to $5 million.

However, neither Atkins nor his family directly own cryptocurrencies. According to Bloomberg, his combined wealth with his spouse is estimated at $327 million.

Trump nominated Atkins for the SEC chair position in December 2024. Many in the crypto industry consider him a suitable candidate due to his experience in the sector.

Atkins served as an SEC commissioner from 2002 to 2008 and later founded the consulting firm Patomak Global Partners, whose clients included crypto exchanges and DeFi projects.

In 2020, he joined the advisory board of the Digital Chamber but left the position following his nomination for the SEC chair.

On March 23, Senator Elizabeth Warren sent Atkins a 34-page letter expressing concerns about his ties to the crypto industry and potential conflicts of interest involving Trump.

Earlier, on March 3, presidential advisor “crypto czar” David Sacks confirmed that he sold all his digital assets before the new U.S. administration took office. On March 7, Warren urged him to provide data on crypto transactions.

In January, Congress took an interest in the ethics of Trump’s cryptocurrency initiatives, and in February, Public Citizen urged the Justice Department and the U.S. Office of Government Ethics to investigate TRUMP for potential violations of federal corruption laws.