🇺🇸WATCH OUT: Crypto regulation is now in Republican hands, as the SEC is left with only 2 commissioners. "Crypto Mom" Hester Peirce has officially left the agency on Oct 2, after her term had already expired. Her exit follows the earlier departures of Democratic commissioners Jaime Lizárraga and Caroline Crenshaw. That leaves the 5-seat SEC with only Chair Paul Atkins and Commissioner Mark Uyeda, both Republicans. Atkins was nominated by Trump, while Uyeda was named acting SEC chair by Trump before Atkins was confirmed. This marks a major shift from the Gary Gensler era, when the SEC was widely seen as hostile to crypto. A smaller Atkins-Uyeda SEC could move faster on tokenization, custody, ETFs, and clearer crypto rules.