SEC Commissioner: Crypto is ‘Helping to Nudge Reassessment’ on Privacy
SEC officials met with cryptocurrency industry leaders to discuss balancing financial surveillance and privacy as digital assets gain prominence. Commissioner Hester Peirce and Chair Paul Atkins emphasized the need to reassess rules on monitoring financial transactions, with Atkins noting crypto could enable unprecedented financial surveillance depending on regulation. Peirce highlighted that while blockchain transparency increases public visibility, this drives demand for enhanced privacy tools. The roundtable featured participants from the privacy token Zcash and various industry groups, continuing efforts to shape digital asset oversight. At the same time, lawmakers are struggling to advance significant crypto market structure legislation—the CLARITY Act—which would potentially shift some oversight to the CFTC, with progress stalling as the Senate prepares for a holiday break. Privacy remains a central concern for the industry as regulatory debate continues.
