Hester Peirce, a two-term commissioner at the US Securities and Exchange Commission and a prominent advocate for digital assets, will leave the agency in November 2026 to join the faculty of Regent University School of Law. Her departure, 18 months after her term officially expired, creates a significant vacuum for crypto policy supporters within the top US financial regulator.
Regent University announced Tuesday that Peirce would join as an associate professor, focusing on securities regulation and digital assets. "While Washington, DC, is losing a staunch supporter of common-sense securities law, Regent is located in Virginia Beach, a few hours away from the nation’s capital, so you can expect Peirce to remain a prominent influencer in the digital asset and securities law sector," the university said in a statement.
Peirce, often called “Crypto Mom” for her supportive stance on financial innovation, was first appointed to the SEC in 2018 by then-President Donald Trump. Her term officially expired in June 2025, but agency rules permit commissioners to serve for up to 18 additional months if a replacement is not confirmed. Her exit will leave the SEC with just two sitting commissioners: Mark Uyeda and Chair Paul Atkins.
The departure further thins the leadership ranks of key US financial regulators at a critical time for the digital asset industry. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is operating with only its chair, Michael Selig, out of a five-person panel. This leadership vacuum comes as Congress considers the CLARITY Act, a market structure bill that could shift significant authority for regulating crypto markets from the SEC to the CFTC, an agency that is itself severely understaffed.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
