# Hester Peirce resignation from the SEC

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/hester-peirce-resignation-from-the-sec
> Updated: 2026-09-29T03:41:11.000Z. Sources: 31. Developments: 3.

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, widely known as ‘Crypto Mom’, has announced her resignation from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, effective October 2, 2026. Peirce, a Trump appointee who has served on the commission since January 2018, intends to join the faculty of Regent University School of Law as an associate professor in November.

Throughout her tenure, Peirce has been a prominent advocate for modernizing financial regulations and has frequently dissented against the agency’s ‘regulation by enforcement’ approach. Since February 2025, she has led the SEC’s Crypto Task Force, which is tasked with updating how securities laws apply to digital assets, including work on staking, blockchain lending, and tokenization.

Her departure leaves the SEC with only two active commissioners: Chair Paul Atkins and Commissioner Mark Uyeda. This marks only the second time in U.S. history that the SEC has operated with such a reduced panel. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is also operating with minimal leadership, currently led solely by Chair Michael Selig.

Combined, the two agencies will have only three commissioners to oversee a complex and rapidly evolving crypto market, particularly as the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act faces legislative hurdles in Congress. While the White House has indicated intentions to nominate replacements in the near future, no official nominations have been announced. In the interim, both agencies are expected to continue advancing crypto policy through rulemaking and regulatory interpretation.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-29: SEC and CFTC face leadership shortages as Hester Peirce resigns

U.S. crypto regulators SEC and CFTC face leadership shortages as Commissioner Hester Peirce resigns, leaving the SEC with only two commissioners and the CFTC with one.

10 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/hester-peirce-to-resign-from-sec-commissioner-role

### 2026-09-26: Hester Peirce resigns from SEC, leaving crypto agenda in two hands

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, a leading crypto advocate, will resign on October 2 to join Regent University, leaving the commission with only two active members.

9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/hester-peirce-resigns-from-sec

### 2026-09-24: Hester Peirce to resign from SEC on October 2

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce will resign on October 2, 2026. Before departing, she urged regulators to adopt zero-knowledge proofs to reduce invasive personal data collection in KYC and AML processes.

18 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/hester-peirce-proposes-zero-knowledge-proofs-for-crypto-kyc-compliance

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Cite as: Hester Peirce resignation from the SEC. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/hester-peirce-resignation-from-the-sec