TechFlow News, January 23: According to a Cryptonews report, a Cornerstone Research report revealed that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) significantly reduced its cryptocurrency-related enforcement actions in 2025 following Paul Atkins’ appointment as SEC Chair. The report states that the SEC initiated only 13 cryptocurrency-related enforcement actions in 2025—down 60% from 33 in 2024—and marking the lowest annual total since 2017.
Of these 13 cases, five were initiated before former Chair Gary Gensler’s departure, while the remaining eight under Atkins’ leadership primarily involved fraud allegations—indicating a shift in enforcement focus from broad registration-based theories toward clear cases of investor harm.
Total penalties imposed on digital asset market participants in 2025 amounted to $142 million—less than 3% of the total penalties levied in 2024. Cornerstone Research’s lead analyst stated that this reflects a fundamental shift in the SEC’s approach to digital asset regulation under Atkins, with expectations that U.S. cryptocurrency regulation in 2026 will rely more heavily on rulemaking rather than ad hoc litigation.
