Democratic lawmakers question SEC chairman, concerned about reduced cryptocurrency enforcement and potential political connections Odaily Planet Daily News: During a hearing of the US House Financial Services Committee, several Democratic lawmakers questioned SEC Chairman Paul Atkins about the recent reduction of enforcement actions in the cryptocurrency industry and expressed concerns about whether the decision is related to Trump and his cryptocurrency industry. The lawmakers highlighted the SEC's suspension of the case against Tron founder Justin Sun and the withdrawal of the lawsuit against Binance. Democratic Congressman Stephen Lynch stated during the hearing that the SEC's reduced enforcement efforts have had an impact on the institution's reputation and requested an explanation for why the relevant cases have not been pursued. The SEC previously sued Justin Sun in 2023 for alleged unregistered securities issuance and manipulation of trading volume, and later applied for a temporary suspension of the case in 2025 to explore the possibility of a settlement; In May of the same year, the SEC withdrew its lawsuit against Binance during Atkins' tenure. Data shows that the overall enforcement actions of the SEC in 2025 will decrease by about 30% compared to the previous year, with a decrease of about 60% in cases related to encryption, which is seen as a signal of regulatory focus adjustment by the outside world. Atkins responded by stating that the SEC still maintains "strong enforcement efforts" and that some of the changes are normal adjustments after a change in regulatory leadership.