SEC Crypto Advocate Hester Peirce to Leave Agency Ahead of October Expiration

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, a prominent advocate for clearer cryptocurrency rules known as “Crypto Mom,” says she will leave the agency effective Oct. 2. During more than seven years at the SEC, she pressed for a regulatory framework for digital assets and led the agency’s Crypto Task Force, contributing to policy work on token classification and other crypto issues. In her resignation letter, Peirce emphasized balancing people’s freedom to make investment choices with safeguards that support confidence in markets. She is expected to join Regent University School of Law as an associate professor in November. Her departure will leave the commission with Chair Paul Atkins and Commissioner Mark Uyeda, adding uncertainty to the agency’s leadership as it continues developing crypto policy.
Although Peirce’s term was due to end in 2025, SEC rules would have allowed her to remain in office for about 18 months beyond its expiration—potentially into 2026.
Peirce backed a proposed “Regulation Crypto Assets” framework that would let some crypto offerings proceed without triggering full securities requirements; the SEC has also advanced a five-year “innovation exemption” for tokenized securities.
Peirce described her SEC service as “the honor of my professional lifetime,” according to her resignation letter.
With Peirce’s departure, the SEC will have two members, Atkins and Uyeda; agency rules allow two commissioners to constitute a quorum while the commission is temporarily shorthanded.
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