Crypto: Paul Atkins Says SEC Supports Self-Custody as a Fundamental Right

Since Paul Atkins took the helm of the SEC, signals have been multiplying. The United States is embarking on a major shift in its approach to crypto. Proof of this: self-custody (formerly viewed with suspicion) is becoming a fundamental right to defend. A strong statement marking the end of the Gary Gensler era!

A New Crypto Vision Under the Trump and Atkins Era

During the latest roundtable of the SEC Crypto Task Force group, Paul Atkins delivered a deeply moving speech. According to the current SEC chair, the right to self-custody constitutes a fundamental American value.

This represents a major turnaround from the previous administration, accused of hindering on-chain innovation. Atkins now advocates for more flexible crypto regulation. The aim: to encourage the use of non-custodial digital wallets.

In his speech , he even goes so far as to criticize Gary Gensler’s punitive approach, who equated some dApp developers with brokers. In this light, the SEC might soon propose an exemption for innovation. This would allow crypto developers to launch projects without immediate legal risk!

Self-Custody at the Heart of Future Crypto Regulation

The SEC’s new direction aims to put the user back at the center of the crypto model. Indeed, self-custody allows investors to control their digital assets without going through costly or risky intermediaries. This approach aligns with the founding values of DeFi:

• economic freedom;
• transparency;
• digital sovereignty.

The Trump administration thus aims to make the United States the global capital of cryptocurrencies. The expressed support for practices like staking or the use of open-source blockchain reinforces this strategic intent. The rollback of proceedings against Coinbase and Ripple already illustrates this shift. The question now is: how far will this change go?

With this new approach from the SEC, crypto and self-custody advocates see a future more favorable to innovation. It remains to be seen whether this momentum will take root sustainably in American crypto regulation !