'Crypto Mom' Hester Peirce to Leave SEC — Term Ends October 2

Hester Peirce, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) commissioner who has been the most consistent voice for deregulation in the crypto industry, will officially resign next week. Known in the industry as "Crypto Mom," she posted her resignation letter on her X account on the 25th (local time), announcing that her term ends on October 2.

Peirce's resignation announcement coincided with the day the SEC issued additional policy guidance on crypto assets. That day, the SEC released an FAQ document aimed at resolving remaining market questions about token definitions and project marketing approaches. The document addressed technical questions including how to avoid what is considered "essential managerial efforts" in marketing, the treatment of tokens received through staking, and the conditions under which a secondary market could be considered a "promoter" of an investment contract.

Peirce consistently voiced opposition to the aggressive enforcement-driven policies under former Republican Chairman Jay Clayton and former Democratic Chairman Gary Gensler — both of whom pursued aggressive sanctions against crypto firms. It was only after the Donald Trump administration took office that she gained the opportunity to directly participate in rulemaking. She began leading the SEC's dedicated crypto task force even before current Chairman Paul Atkins was sworn in.