“Crypto Mom” Hester Peirce will leave the SEC in late 2026 to teach law at Regent University. Over the years, she became one of crypto’s strongest supporters inside the SEC, often criticizing the agency’s enforcement-first approach to digital assets.

Peirce pushed for clearer crypto regulations, innovation-friendly policies, and more blockchain expertise within the SEC. Her departure could mark a major shift in how crypto regulation evolves in the U.S., even as the SEC continues working on new reforms.