Gary Gensler: No Regrets Over SEC Legacy, Says Investor Protection Was Always Priority

21 September – Gary Gensler, the former Chair of the U.S. SEC, says he has no regrets about how he ran the agency. In a September 17, 2025 interview with CNBC’s Sara Eisen, Gensler emphasized that investor protection was always his top priority. He also defended his aggressive stance on crypto enforcement.

Now back at MIT Sloan School of Management, Gensler reflected on his tenure. He said the SEC’s enforcement actions were necessary. According to him, the crypto market was full of speculation, risk, and fraud. He specifically pointed to the FTX collapse and the conviction of Sam Bankman-Fried as examples of why strong regulation was required.

Meanwhile, the current SEC Chair, Paul Atkins, is actively reversing many of Gensler’s policies. Appointed under the Trump administration, Atkins has softened the SEC’s crypto stance. He has already dropped or scaled back several enforcement actions.

Career Background

Gensler’s regulatory career spans decades.

He was a former Goldman Sachs partner and later served as Undersecretary of the Treasury for Domestic Finance under President Clinton. He also played a major role in drafting the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in 2002.

From 2009 to 2014, he chaired the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) during the Obama era. At the time, he led reforms in the $400 trillion swaps market post-2008 crisis. He then joined MIT, where he focused on fintech and digital currencies before returning to Washington in 2021 as SEC Chair under President Biden.

Gensler officially resigned from the SEC in January 2025 following Trump’s inauguration.

What He Did as SEC Chair

Between 2021 and 2025, Gensler pushed through over 50 major rule changes. These covered everything from crypto enforcement to market structure.

Some key actions include:

• Recovered over $2.7 billion for harmed investors.
• Approved Bitcoin and Ethereum spot ETFs, though reluctantly.
• Sued major crypto platforms like Coinbase, Binance, and Ripple.
• Reduced settlement cycles from T+2 to T+1, improving liquidity.
• Introduced new rules for SPACs, proxy voting, and cybersecurity.
• Proposed guardrails around AI and climate risk disclosures.

He also expanded the SEC’s oversight of private funds, investment advisors, and broker-dealers. At its peak, the SEC was returning hundreds of millions to retail investors annually.

Gensler framed all of this as adapting the SEC’s 1934 mandate to the challenges of the modern financial system.

Polarizing Legacy

Reactions to Gensler’s tenure remain deeply divided.

Supporters say he held fraudsters accountable and modernized regulations. Investor advocacy groups credit him with returning billions to victims and improving transparency.

Critics, especially within the crypto space, say his approach stifled innovation. Many call his method “regulation-by-enforcement.” They argue that lawsuits against thousands of tokens only pushed projects offshore and confused the industry. Some even accused Gensler of being influenced by political allies like Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

Public sentiment has been harsh.

On X ,many users ridiculed his “no regrets” comment. Viral posts referenced his SEC data wipe, his clashes with crypto firms, and the contrasting approach of Paul Atkins. Others mocked Gensler’s claim of protecting investors, saying he only protected hedge funds and insiders.

Post-SEC and What’s Next

Src: CNBC

Since stepping down, Gensler has returned to teaching. He currently lectures at MIT Sloan. His archived X account (@GenslerArchive) stores his public posts, including a farewell video outlining his accomplishments.

Meanwhile, the SEC under Paul Atkins is heading in a very different direction:

• Fewer crypto lawsuits
• Advance notice before enforcement
• More favorable approach to token classification
• Potential repeal of Gensler’s climate disclosure rules

Despite the shift, Gensler stands by his record. In the CNBC interview, he warned that cutting back reporting requirements could harm transparency and market stability. He urged investors to “speak up” if they want strong protections to remain.