Key facts
- SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce will resign effective October 2.
- Peirce is known as "Crypto Mom" for her advocacy of crypto regulation.
- She served on the SEC for about eight years.
- Peirce directed the agency's Crypto Task Force since February 4, 2025.
- She plans to become an associate professor at Regent University in November.
- Her term officially expired in June 2025.
SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, widely known as "Crypto Mom," has formally submitted her resignation from the US Securities and Exchange Commission, with her departure set for October 2. Peirce, who has been a commissioner for approximately eight years, also served as the director of the agency’s Crypto Task Force since February 4, 2025. Her official term concluded in June 2025, but commissioners can continue to serve for up to 18 months past their term if a replacement has not been appointed.
Peirce is expected to transition to academia, joining the law school at Regent University in Virginia as an associate professor in November. Her role at the university will involve bolstering academic focus in areas such as federal litigation, securities regulation, and digital assets.
The SEC has seen a shift in its approach to crypto regulation and enforcement since President Donald Trump took office in January 2025, with a reduction in enforcement actions and investigations against crypto companies. Peirce's tenure coincided with the Crypto Task Force's efforts to apply existing securities laws to digital assets and decentralized systems. She has previously advocated for clearer disclosure rules and argued that publishing open-source code should not automatically subject software developers to federal securities regulations.