SEC and CFTC Down to Three Commissioners After Hester Peirce's Departure

Hester Peirce, also known as 'Crypto Mom', is leaving her post at the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Friday after eight years of service. This departure marks a significant change for the agency, which will now operate with only two commissioners, Chair Paul Atkins and Mark Uyeda, instead of the usual five.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is also affected by Peirce's resignation, as it has been led by sole commissioner Michael Selig since December 2025. The CFTC is responsible for overseeing and enforcing regulations on digital assets, but its leadership has been incomplete since Caroline Pham departed in 2025.

The White House has not announced any nominations or intentions to nominate additional members to the financial agencies, which were chosen by former US President Donald Trump with the exception of Uyeda, who was selected by current US President Joe Biden. A CNBC report from September 4 mentioned that White House officials had been vetting four candidates to fill the empty commissioner seats at the CFTC, but did not provide any names.