Weekly Regulation Roundup: Pardons, Pullbacks, and a Pro-Crypto Reset in Washington
President Trump has indicated a willingness to review a pardon for Keonne Rodriguez, founder of Samourai Wallet, instructing Attorney General Bondi to examine the case.
The Senate confirmed crypto-friendly lawyer Mike Selig as the next Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chair by a 53–43 vote, ending months of leadership uncertainty and signaling clearer market-structure rulemaking for digital assets.
Acting CFTC Chair Caroline Pham will depart for MoonPay once Selig is sworn in, highlighting the ongoing revolving-door dynamics between regulation and the crypto industry.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has dropped, paused, or dismissed nearly 60% of crypto-related enforcement actions since Trump returned to office, indicating a retreat from the prior aggressive enforcement posture; notably, Aave’s four-year investigation was formally dropped.
The Federal Reserve reversed crypto banking restrictions by withdrawing its 2023 policy statement and re-opening access to core financial infrastructure for crypto firms, including Custodia Bank’s master account, according to Vice Chair Michelle Bowman.
Congressional lawmakers introduced the SAFE Crypto Act to establish a federal task force aimed at combating crypto-related scams, with a focus on coordinating regulators, law enforcement, and the private sector to address multi-billion-dollar losses.
Overall, the week points to a regulatory reset, with enforcement-first strategies giving way to pardons, leadership changes, institutional access, and targeted fraud oversight rather than blanket hostility.
