US crypto firms expect changes with 2025 policies

As the United States prepares for a new presidential administration and Congress in 2025, crypto executives are voicing cautious optimism about potential regulatory changes.

The industry is focused on shifts within the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and its approach to digital asset enforcement.

Stuart Alderoty, Ripple's Chief Legal Officer, expressed hope on Dec. 31 for regulatory clarity, emphasising principles for digital assets.

“A token is never a security, although it can be the subject of a security transaction,” he stated.

Ripple (CRYPTO:XRP) is currently appealing an August 2024 judgment that held the company liable for $125 million in damages.

The SEC has pursued several actions against crypto firms under current and past leadership, including cases involving Ripple and Coinbase.

Paul Grewal, Coinbase’s Chief Legal Officer, pointed to the Supreme Court's 2024 overturning of the Chevron doctrine as potentially significant for the SEC's interpretation of regulatory matters.

This decision may lead courts to exercise independent judgment in cases involving digital assets.

Key legal disputes are expected to advance in 2025.

These include ongoing actions by the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), as well as criminal proceedings against former executives such as Alex Mashinsky of Celsius and Do Kwon of Terraform Labs.

Changes in leadership at regulatory bodies could also influence the trajectory of enforcement.

President-elect Donald Trump has proposed replacing SEC Chair Gary Gensler with former commissioner Paul Atkins and appointing Jay Clayton as US Attorney for the Southern District of New York.