Crypto proponent Paul Atkins emerges as frontrunner for SEC chairman

President-elect Trump's transition team has interviewed Paul Atkins, a veteran financial regulator and a behind-the-scenes figure in conservative finance, as a candidate for chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), according to people familiar with the matter. Atkins is the top contender to succeed outgoing Gary Gensler, the people said. Trump is expected to make a choice in the coming days and no decision has been made yet, they said. Atkins served as an SEC commissioner during the George W. Bush administration, after which he founded Patomak Global Partners, a firm that provides consulting services to major financial industry clients. He is a strong supporter of digital assets and fintech companies. He has also testified before Congress on how to restructure the agency's operations and reduce regulations that some industry insiders consider duplicative or overly burdensome.