Regulation

Crypto-Friendly SEC Commissioner Mark Uyeda Objects to Consolidated Audit Trial for Crypto

Published

3 months ago

September 24, 2024

Gary Gensler, the Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), along with five SEC commissioners is all set to testify before the House Financial Services Committee on Tuesday, September 24. A day before, crypto-friendly SEC Commissioner Mark Uyeda objected to the consolidated audit trail (CAT) for cryptocurrencies, as it seeks to track investors’ sensitive data.

SEC Commissioner Objects to Audit Trails for Crypto

Ahead of the Gary Gensler testimony on Tuesday, SEC Commissioner Mark Uyeda said that the House of Financial Services Committee, dominated by Republicans, is likely to grill Gensler and Democrats over their tough regulatory stand on cryptocurrencies.

Uyeda also said that the Democrat’s proposal of a consolidated audit trail (CAT) on crypto is nothing but overregulation of private funds. In his recent interview with Fox Business, the SEC Commissioner said: “The Consolidated Audit Trail is a system that one would expect to find in a surveillance state, not the land of freedom and liberty”.

The Republicans have opposed to regulatory overreach and increased government surveillance on the crypto industry. Besides, they have also shared growing concerns about the SEC’s unrestricted access to traders’ sensitive personal data through the CAT. This violates privacy rules said Uyeda.

Furthermore, the SEC demands that broker-dealers and industry participants help fund the database by paying fees tied to their trading volumes. Commenting on this, SEC Commissioner Uyeda said:

“The commission needs to end its war on crypto and cease empowering special interest ESG activists to dominate C-suites and corporate boards. We should take a hard look at policies that permit a small number of proxy advisers and asset managers to effectively control public companies. The commission must empower entrepreneurs to build businesses, create jobs and innovate by focusing on capital formation.”

Mark Uyeda Opposes SEC’s Handing of Crypto Regulations

The US securities regulator has been facing major opposition to regulating the $2 trillion crypto industry. Speaking to Fox Business, SEC Commissioner Uyeda said that the regulator has failed to provide a comprehensive list of crypto firms that can operate in the US.

“We have not provided the rules of the road for crypto, other than to declare that nearly all are securities, nor have we provided a practical pathway to comply with our rules. Instead, we have wasted time and money on crypto enforcement actions that provide limited guidance at best,” he said.

Commissioner Uyeda also stated that while the SEC has been using enforcement resources on crypto, it has fallen short of protecting investors from crypto scams.

“Presuming that everyone in the market is a potential scammer and fraudster unless proven innocent is the wrong course of action — and not the American way,” said Mark Uyeda.

Recently, Senator Cynthia Lummis and Rep. Patrick McHenry have also appealed to the SEC to repeal the SAB 121 accounting rules for crypto custodians.

The SEC Commissioner also stated that Gary Gensler’s approach to crypto regulation is not the right approach. Recent reports also suggested Gensler’s possible removal from the SEC.

Uyeda added that the securities regulator should focus on empowering Americans to make independent financial decisions, supporting U.S. companies’ global competitiveness, and restoring public accountability in the rule-making process.