Struggles of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is facing challenges in recruiting and retaining crypto experts, as stated in a report from the agency’s Inspector General. The SEC is highly focused on regulating the blockchain industry, which its chairman Gary Gensler has described as “largely non-compliant.”
Recruitment Challenges
According to the Inspector General’s statement, the SEC is struggling to recruit specialists in crypto assets for investigation and enforcement purposes. The agency has initiated over 50 enforcement actions against crypto industry firms this year, including major exchanges like Coinbase and Binance.
One of the main issues cited by SEC officials is the lack of qualified experts and high-level competition from the private sector. Additionally, potential recruits who understand crypto are often investors themselves, making it difficult for them to work for the SEC due to conflict of interest concerns.
Industry Adaptation
The report also highlighted that the SEC needs to continuously adapt and build new expertise and capabilities around industries such as crypto and artificial intelligence. It also noted that no market regulator has comprehensive authority to regulate spot markets for cryptos that aren’t securities, like Bitcoin (BTC).
Owning Versus Understanding Bitcoin
A global survey found that over half of non-Bitcoin owners didn’t invest in crypto primarily because they didn’t understand it well enough. Furthermore, perceived self-knowledge of Bitcoin was the greatest predictor of willingness to buy BTC at the time. Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency by market cap, has appreciated by over 100% this year.
In U.S. Congress, some of the most vocal crypto proponents are themselves Bitcoin owners, including senators Cynthia Lummis and Ted Cruz, as well as presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy.
Hot Take: Recruiting Crypto Experts for Regulatory Compliance
The struggle of the SEC to recruit and retain crypto experts highlights the challenges in regulating a rapidly evolving industry. As cryptocurrencies gain more mainstream attention and adoption, regulatory bodies will need to find ways to attract top talent while ensuring compliance with ethical standards.
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