With all the chatter about a potential change in leadership at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Stuart Alderoty, Ripple's Chief Legal Officer, has shared his thoughts on what the agency could look like in the future. As people discuss who might take on the role, Alderoty's comments provide more of a structured view of what the next chairman should focus on to finally allow peace between crypto and regulation.

At the heart of his recommendations is a call for some quick action to resolve the ongoing issues. Alderoty also says that non-fraud-related cryptocurrency litigation should stop on day one of the new chair's tenure. This would be a big change from the current enforcement-first approach to a strategy that helps the industry grow within a clearer regulatory framework, believes the lawyer.

Alderoty also makes a good point about keeping Commissioners Hester Peirce and Mark Uyeda on the team. If the next SEC head works with them, they can make sure that discussions on crypto-related policies are more balanced and that the sector is guided by consistency and expertise, says the Ripple CLO.

Alderoty's approach is all about making the rules clearer and avoiding giving too much power to the SEC. He believes the regulator should work with other financial watchdogs and Congress to create straightforward, transparent rules for the crypto industry, without relying too heavily on the SEC as the main authority. 

These recommendations bring up an angle that the industry is still concerned about — that the SEC might have too much power.

As the debate over the SEC's direction gets more intense, Alderoty's remarks are shifting the focus from individual names to systemic reforms that could define the agency's future under new leadership.

Financial analyst, trader and crypto enthusiast.

Gamza graduated with a degree in finance and credit with a specialization in securities and financial derivatives. He then also completed a master's program in banking and asset management.

He wants to have a hand in covering economic and fintech topics, as well as educate more people about cryptocurrencies and blockchain.