started · updated
Hester Peirce to resign from SEC on October 2
SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, widely known as 'Crypto Mom,' has announced her resignation, effective October 2, 2026. After nearly nine years at the commission, Peirce will join the faculty of Regent University School of Law as an associate professor in November.
Her departure leaves the SEC with only two seated commissioners, Paul Atkins and Mark Uyeda. While a quorum of two allows the agency to continue functioning, the reduced number may impact the speed and bipartisan nature of regulatory decision-making.
In one of her final public appearances at the SIFMA Digital Assets Conference, Peirce advocated for a major overhaul of Know-Your-Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) protocols. She criticized the current practice of massive data collection, describing it as building 'ever bigger data haystacks' that increase the risk of data breaches without necessarily improving the detection of financial crime.
Peirce proposed adopting privacy-preserving technologies, such as zero-knowledge proofs and attribute-based credentials. These tools would allow financial institutions to verify specific user attributes—such as age, citizenship, or sanctions status—without requiring the storage of sensitive personal information like names, addresses, or full identity documents. She also encouraged the use of trusted third-party identity verification to reduce redundant data collection across the financial sector.
Entities
Blockchain Association · Hester Peirce · Paul Atkins · SIFMA · Securities and Exchange Commission · Summer Mersinger
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The SEC recently published the Regulation Crypto Assets proposal. www.nadanews.com · www.spacemoney.com.br · news.trijo.co
- [● 3 SOURCES] Peirce will join Regent University School of Law as an associate professor. www.spacemoney.com.br · cryptobriefing.com · cryptonomist.ch
- [● 8 SOURCES] Hester Peirce criticized current KYC and AML systems for accumulating excessive personal data. bitcoin.fr · coindoo.com · www.criptotendencias.com · www.tokenpost.com · cryptoast.fr · +2 more
- [● 3 SOURCES] The SEC will have two remaining commissioners, Paul Atkins and Mark Uyeda, following Peirce's departure. www.spacemoney.com.br · cryptobriefing.com · unchainedcrypto.com
- [● 6 SOURCES] Peirce proposed using zero-knowledge proofs to verify attributes like age or nationality without revealing identity. bitcoin.fr · coindoo.com · www.tokenpost.com · decrypt.co · bitcoinmagazine.com
- [● 6 SOURCES] Hester Peirce will step down from the SEC on October 2, 2026. www.nadanews.com · www.spacemoney.com.br · cryptobriefing.com · cryptonomist.ch · news.trijo.co · +1 more
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Summer Mersinger will step down as CEO of the Blockchain Association on October 16. unchainedcrypto.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The SEC introduced a five-year innovation exemption for tokenized securities. www.spacemoney.com.br