America at a crossroads: Commissioner Peirce’s parting challenge
Summary
Hester Peirce has completed more than eight years as an SEC commissioner, where she advocated for clear digital-asset rules, proposed a token safe harbor and led the agency’s Crypto Task Force. In recent remarks, she argued that financial regulation’s broad collection of personal data creates privacy, cybersecurity and surveillance risks. The piece argues that blockchain-based privacy tools—including zero-knowledge proofs and verifiable credentials—can let people prove compliance without exposing unnecessary personal information. It calls for a regulatory framework that enables adoption while preserving law enforcement’s ability to pursue crime.
