Securities Regulation Daily Wrap Up, WORTH NOTING—Other litigation, regulatory activity, and industry news, (Jan 2, 2026)

By WK Editorial Staff

A weekly roundup of items of interest to the securities, derivatives, and corporate governance communities.

SEC NEWS AND SPEECHES – In a joint statement, SEC Chairman Paul Atkins and Commissioners Hester Peirce and Mark Uyeda commended Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw, who is leaving the agency. The lone Democrat on the Commission, Crenshaw devoted more than a decade of service to the Securities and Exchange Commission. “Over those years, she has been a steadfast advocate for the agency’s mission – demonstrating clarity of purpose and generosity of spirit,” the commissioners said in their statement. “Commissioner Crenshaw has listened carefully, engaged substantively, and approached every day with the purpose of safeguarding investors and strengthening our markets.”

SEC NEWS AND SPEECHES – Also departing the SEC are Cicely LaMothe, deputy director of its Division of Corporation Finance, who has retired from the agency, and Nekia Hackworth Jones, the deputy director of the Division of Enforcement (Southeast), who concluded her tenure with the agency on December 26, 2025.

CFTC NEWS AND SPEECHES – In one of her last acts as CFTC acting chairman, Caroline Pham announced that Rob Hadick of Dragonfly Capital Partners joined the Global Markets Advisory Committee’s Digital Asset Markets Subcommittee. Pham previously sponsored the GMAC. Hadick is a General Partner at Dragonfly Capital Partners, where he focuses on digital asset investment strategy, market structure innovation, and expanding global market opportunities across blockchain-based financial systems. Pham’s last day at the Commission was December 22, 2025, the same day as Michael Selig was sworn in as the 16th chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Pham was sworn in as a CFTC Commissioner on April 14, 2022.

CFTC NEWS AND SPEECHES – Prior to her exit from the CFTC, Acting Chairman Caroline Pham announced that the Market Participants Division has established a pilot program designed to increase liquidity and hedging of risks in connection with Energy Commodity End User Swaps, a plan that she said is expected to lower energy costs for U.S. businesses and consumers. The pilot program includes additional reporting requirements that will allow CFTC staff to conduct enhanced monitoring of trading activity.

CFTC NEWS AND SPEECHES – Newly minted CFTC Chairman Michael Selig announced on Friday that his chief of staff will be Amir Zaidi. “Amir brings to this role deep experience both at the Commission and in the financial services world, and has a proven track record of successfully embracing innovation in our markets,” Selig said. “Amir was instrumental in the historic launch of CFTC-regulated bitcoin futures contracts during President Trump’s first term,” Selig said. “With Congress poised to send digital asset market structure legislation to the President’s desk, he will bring tremendous experience and expertise to the CFTC as it develops fit-for-purpose regulations for our rapidly evolving commodity markets.”

PCAOB News – Addressing the 2025 AICPA Conference on Current SEC and PCAOB Developments, Kurt Hohl, the SEC's chief accountant, identified the SEC’s Office of the Chief Accountant’s key priorities, led by responsiveness to emerging issues. “From artificial intelligence (AI) to crypto assets, emerging technologies are transforming how companies operate and how financial information is prepared and used,” he said. OCA is committed to ensuring that accounting and auditing frameworks keep pace with these developments, Hohl added. “We are focused on understanding the implications of innovation across the financial reporting ecosystem, including the impacts to investors, preparers, audit committees, audit firms, standard setters, and other stakeholders.”

IndustryNews: Blockchain BrokerDealers CFTCNews CommodityFutures PCAOBNews SECNewsSpeeches Swaps