SEC and CFTC Face Leadership Vacuum with 7 Seats Vacant

As of Friday, October 2, 2026, seven out of ten commissioner seats at the SEC and CFTC will be vacant, leaving only three officials—Paul Atkins, Mark Uyeda, and Michael Selig—to oversee the $3 trillion crypto industry. Following the resignation of SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, both agencies will lack Democratic representation. The failure of the CLARITY Act to pass the Senate on September 15 increases reliance on agency rulemaking, though the current leadership shortage may slow regulatory approvals and create legal uncertainty.