The former policy director of Coin Center, a prominent cryptocurrency advocacy organization, Landon Zinda, has vacated his post to be a part of the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Crypto Task Force. This was announced on February 4 by the acting SEC Chair, Mark Uyeda.
In the announcement, Uyeda stated that Zinda would be taking up the role of his counsel and a senior advisor to the crypto task force. He joins the likes of Chief of Staff Richard Gabbert and Chief Policy Adviser Taylor Asher under the leadership of Commissioner Hester Peirce.
Neeraj Agrawal, Coin Center’s communications director, confirmed to Cointelegraph that Zinda had left his post. Zinda’s name was still listed on Coin Center’s website as of February 4, and his LinkedIn profile indicated his tenure at the advocacy organization from March 2023 until the present. The SEC was approached for a comment but there was no response at the time of publication.
The Crypto Task Force, which was formed on January 21 following the exit of former SEC Chair Gary Gensler, aims to assist the Commission in outlining clear regulatory boundaries, establishing feasible routes to registration, developing practical disclosure frameworks, and making judicious use of enforcement resources. The SEC also disclosed that the task force would be collaborating with other federal agencies, including the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
Since Gensler’s exit and the inauguration of US President Donald Trump, there has been speculation that the SEC’s approach to digital asset regulation could shift, possibly halting or dismissing enforcement actions not related to fraud. Commissioner Peirce suggested on February 4 that the SEC might contemplate granting “retroactive relief” for certain token offerings.
Under previous SEC Chairs Jay Clayton and Gensler, enforcement actions were taken against crypto firms like Ripple Labs, Coinbase, and Binance. Trump, who unveiled his own memecoin before assuming office, could potentially face regulatory scrutiny over his memecoin launch. Despite the fact that the US president nominates or has political sway over those in leadership positions, some industry experts and lawmakers speculate that Trump might still execute a rug pull on the token’s investors.
With the exit of Gensler and Commissioner Jaime Lizárraga, Peirce and Uyeda, both Republicans, presently hold the majority at the SEC. The five-seat panel is supposed to comprise commissioners from both political parties. However, to date, Trump has only nominated a replacement for Gensler’s term: former Commissioner Paul Atkins.
