The leadership change at the SEC, following the resignation of Gary Gensler and the appointment of Mark Uyeda as acting chairman, could drive increased institutional investment in the sector, according to a new global study by Nickel Digital Asset Management. The study also revealed that the majority of institutional investors and wealth managers view the changes regarding digital asset market regulation with great satisfaction, although they also expect further action.
94% of respondents said they believe institutional investor sentiment will become more positive, with 24% indicating it will be significantly more favorable. Meanwhile, 89% said the resignation of former SEC Chairman Gary Gensler will have a positive impact on the sector, and 91% believe the resignation is positive for the future regulatory environment of the market.
The leadership change, with the appointment of Mark Uyeda as acting chairman, along with Donald Trump’s naming of David Sacks as head of Artificial Intelligence and crypto, could help boost institutional investment in the sector. 90% of respondents said they expect a more crypto-friendly stance from the new leadership.
Anatoly Crachilov, CEO and founding partner of Nickel Digital, stated that “the changing of the guard at the SEC is seen as positive for future regulatory clarity and is expected to drive institutional investment in the sector.”
“Digital asset regulation was a key part of the U.S. presidential election, and Donald Trump’s explicit promise to fire Gary Gensler on day one in office clearly signaled the direction forward,” he added.
The study was conducted with institutional investors and wealth managers across the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Singapore, Brazil, and the United Arab Emirates, representing organizations that collectively manage around $1.1 trillion in assets. Nickel, headquartered in London, is Europe’s leading digital asset hedge fund manager and was founded by former Bankers Trust, Goldman Sachs, and JPMorgan alumni.
