SEC Loses 'Crypto Mom' Hester Peirce Amid Leadership Vacuum

Hester Peirce, also known as 'Crypto Mom' for her views on digital assets, is leaving the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) after eight years of service. This will bring the agency down to just three commissioners.

The SEC was expected to have a five-member bipartisan panel, but with Peirce's departure on Friday, it will now consist of Chair Paul Atkins and Mark Uyeda, both Republicans. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has been led by Chair Michael Selig as the sole commissioner since December 2025.

The White House has not announced any nominations or intention to nominate additional members to fill the empty SEC and CFTC leadership seats. However, Trump intended to nominate members to both agencies 'in the near future,' according to a White House official. Congress designed these boards and commissions to be bipartisan and gave them authority to regulate significant parts of American life.

The lack of full leadership will continue to advance crypto regulation through rulemaking rather than laws passed by Congress. Many in the industry had been pushing US lawmakers to pass the Digital Asset Clarity (CLARITY) Act, but it failed in the Republican-controlled Senate.