SEC Chairman: 'Self custody' is a 'fundamental value of the United States' SEC Chairman Paul Atkins hinted at a more open attitude towards self custody at the "DeFi and the American Spirit" roundtable meeting, referring to "self custody rights" as the "fundamental values of the United States". Atkins said: "The right of self custody of private property should not disappear due to Internet access. I support giving market participants more flexibility in self custody of encrypted assets." This is the latest sign of the SEC's shift in regulatory stance since former chairman Gary Gensler's departure. Atkins criticized his predecessor for categorizing developers as brokers, which hindered innovation. He also stated that he has requested SEC staff to explore whether providing further guidance or establishing rules would help registrants trade with these software systems while complying with applicable laws.