Paul S. Atkins
Paul S. Atkins | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2025 | |
| 34th Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission | |
| Assumed office April 21, 2025 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Mark Uyeda (acting) |
| Commissioner of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission | |
| Assumed office April 21, 2025 | |
| Appointed by | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Gary Gensler |
| In office August 8, 2002 – August 1, 2008 | |
| Appointed by | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Laura Unger |
| Succeeded by | Troy A. Paredes |
| Personal details | |
| Born | |
| Party | Republican |
| Education | Wofford College (BA) Vanderbilt University (JD) |
Paul S. Atkins is an American businessman who has served as chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) since April 2025.[1] Atkins also previously served as a commissioner at the SEC from 2002 to 2008.[2] Known for advocating reduced regulatory burdens and promoting financial innovation, Atkins has been a vocal supporter of free-market principles in regulatory policy.[3][4]
Early life and education
[edit]Originally from Lillington, North Carolina, Atkins grew up in Tampa, Florida.[5] He received his A.B. from Wofford College in 1980 and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa[6] and Kappa Alpha Order.
Career
[edit]Atkins began his career as a lawyer in New York City with Davis Polk & Wardwell, focusing on a wide range of corporate transactions for U.S. and foreign clients, including public and private securities offerings and mergers and acquisitions. He worked in the Paris office for two and a half years, and in 1988 was admitted to provide legal advice in France.[6]
Atkins was a commissioner of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from July 9, 2002 until his term's completion in August 2008.[5] He served with chairmen Harvey Pitt, William H. Donaldson, and Christopher Cox.[7]
In 2009, Atkins founded Patomak Global Partners, a financial services firm specializing in regulatory compliance and whose clients would come to include Fidelity Investments, Goldman Sachs, and the US Chamber of Commerce.[8]
In December 2016, Atkins joined a business forum assembled by President-elect Trump to provide strategic and policy advice on economic issues.[9]
Atkins was co-chair of the Token Alliance, a cryptocurrency advocacy group for the Chamber of Digital Commerce.[2] He also served on the advisory board of Securitize, Inc., a cryptocurrency firm.[8]
Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission
[edit]In December 2024, Atkins was nominated by President-elect Trump to be chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. He was sworn in on April 21, 2025.[1]
In July 2025, Atkins sold his stake in Patomak Global Partners to an undisclosed buyer for between $25 million and $50 million.[8]
In September 2025, Atkins affirmed plans to reduce reporting requirements for public companies in the United States, changing reporting timelines from quarterly to every six months.[10] He expanded upon those plans in December at an SEC sponsored event, "Revitalizing American Markets" in honor of the Nation's 250th anniversary.[11][12]
At the time of his appointment to the SEC, Atkins owned $6 million worth of holdings in crypto-related businesses. During his confirmation, he pledged to divest from these crypto-related businesses. He has since then filed paperwork listing millions dollars worth of investments he sold, but those lists did not include the crypto-related businesses. During his time at the SEC, the SEC has dropped or settled numerous lawsuits with cryptocurrency companies and adopted a lax regulatory approach to cryptocurrency.[13]
Personal life
[edit]Atkins has three sons with his wife Sarah Humphreys Atkins,[5][14] who is a major Republican donor.[15] As of 2025, their combined net worth is estimated to be $327 million.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Paul S. Atkins Sworn In as SEC Chairman". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. April 21, 2025. Retrieved April 22, 2025.
- ^ a b "Trump taps Paul Atkins to lead SEC, signaling shift on crypto regulation". The Washington Post. 2024.
- ^ Prentice, Chris (December 5, 2024). "Trump's SEC pick Atkins marks victory for establishment expertise". Reuters.
- ^ "Trump to nominate Paul Atkins, a cryptocurrency advocate, for SEC chair". CBS News. December 4, 2024.
- ^ a b c SEC Biography: Commissioner Paul S. Atkins, Security Exchange Commission. Retrieved February, 2011.
- ^ a b "Paul S. Atkins" Archived 2011-02-11 at the Wayback Machine, Patomak website bio. Retrieved 2011-04-22.
- ^ Society, SEC Historical. "Securities and Exchange Commission Historical Society". www.sechistorical.org. Retrieved October 1, 2025.
- ^ a b c d Schwenk, Katya; Stockton, Lucy Dean (July 30, 2025). "Wall Street's Top Cop Scores Tax Break For Mysterious "Pre-Bribe"". The Lever. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
- ^ Bryan, Bob (December 2, 2016). "Trump is forming an economic advisory team with the CEOs of Disney, General Motors, JPMorgan, and more". Business Insider. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
- ^ Gillison, Douglas; Saini, Manya; Gillison, Douglas; Saini, Manya (September 29, 2025). "US SEC chair fast-tracks Trump push to end quarterly earnings reports". Reuters. Retrieved October 1, 2025.
- ^ "SEC.gov | Revitalizing America's Markets at 250". www.sec.gov. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
- ^ Behar, Andrew. "Turning public companies into private companies: the SEC's retreat from transparency and accountability". Fortune. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
- ^ Shaw, Corey G. Johnson and Al (December 22, 2025). "Top DOJ Official Todd Blanche Shut Down Crypto Enforcement While Holding Crypto Assets". ProPublica.
- ^ McEvoy, Jemima (December 14, 2024). "Trump's Pick For Paul Atkins: SEC Chairman Married Into A $2 Billion Roofing Fortune". Forbes. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
- ^ "SARAH HUMPHREYS ATKINS has given $9,903,550". Follow the Money Insider. March 3, 2025. Retrieved March 1, 2025.