SEC Nearly Doubles Size of Crypto Unit to Protect Investors in the $1.7 Trillion Cryptocurrency Market美国证券交易委员会(sec)is adding 20 new positions to the team responsible for protecting crypto investors.

ByMadeline Garfinkle

美国证券交易委员会(sec)announcedon Tuesday that it will be expanding the Crypto Assets and Cyber Unit by nearly double, aiming to bolster protection ofcryptocurrencyinvestors fromcyber-related threats. The 20 new positions added to the unit will increase roll call to 50, and comes as a direct initiative to fight the growing volume of new threats that come with modern digital currency.

Related:Secret Service Has Seized More Than $100 Million in Crypto Over the Past 7 Years

"Crypto markets have exploded in recent years, with retail investors bearing the brunt of abuses in this space. Meanwhile, cyber-related threats continue to pose existential risks to our financial markets and participants," says SEC director of the Division of Enforcement, Gurbir S. Grewal, in theannouncement.

Since its inception in 2017, the unit's actions have brought more than$2 billionin monetary relief from cases related to fraudulent and unregistered crypto asset offerings and platforms. Asdigital currencycontinues to gain momentum, the SEC's expanding team of dedicated officials strives to strengthen its hold on the new and ongoing risks to investors in the$1.7 trillioncryptocurrency market.

Related:7 Ways to Protect Yourself in the World of NFTs

The dedicated new team — composed of investigative staff attorneys, trial lawyers and fraud analysts — will be at the forefront of cracking down on threats to crypto investors and ensure "fair and orderly markets in the face of these critical challenges," says Grewal.

The initiative has been in the works, and is in part long overdue, as SEC chair Gary Genslerstatedback in September that the unit was grossly short staffed and needed "a lot more people" to pursue the increasing risks that emerge from thousands of newdigital assets.

The larger staff will expand on the unit's expertise, with a focus on investigating security law violations relating to cypto asset offerings and exchanges, decentralized finance platforms,NFTsand stablecoins.

Related:Become an Expert Crypto Trader with These Courses

It remainsunclear20添加的位置是否充分fill the SEC's original plea for a larger staff, but Gensler is confident that by nearly doubling the unit, "the SEC will be better equipped to police wrongdoing in the crypto markets while continuing to identify disclosure and controls issues with respect to cybersecurity," he remarked in thestatement.

Madeline Garfinkle

Entrepreneur Staff

News Writer

Madeline Garfinkle is a News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. She is a graduate from Syracuse University, and received an MFA from Columbia University.

Editor's Pick

Related Topics

Business News

'Worst Investment Ever': The 'Brady Bunch House' Sells to Real-Estate Enthusiast for $3.2 Million

The famous Studio City, California residence known as "The Brady Bunch" house recently changed hands from television network HGTV to California resident Tina Trahan.

Business News

Amazon Is Boosting Pay for Contracted Delivery Drivers—Starting as Soon as Next Month

The company is raising the average hourly rate for delivery drivers to $20.50 by mid-October.

Franchise

He Got Bored With Retirement. Now He's Selling $18 Million Annually.

Don Lanier was ready for a change, and that pushed him to succeed. Here's how he did it.

Business News

'People Have Died Where You Are': Influencer Slammed for Photoshoot in 'Prohibited' Deadly Cave

El Tancón cave is located in Santiago del Teide in Tenerife, Spain.

Business Ideas

2 Grammy-Nominated Musicians Share What They Consider the Greatest Assets to Any Startup

From music to skincare, learn the unconventional journey of Mike Einziger and Ann Marie Simpson-Einziger.