SEC Chair Gary Gensler to step down Jan. 20 after busy, controversial tenure

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler said will step down from his position as the top U.S. regulator of Wall Street when Donald Trump is sworn in as president on Jan. 20, ending weeks of speculation about his future.

In a statement Thursday, Gensler said he would step down at noon on Jan. 20, 2025. Gensler’s move will close a tenure that began more than three years ago in the aftermath of the meme stock market battle between retail investors and hedge funds around the share price of retailer GameStop.

Gensler had presided over a combative period for the agency, including high-profile efforts to reform company stock buybacks and fund fee disclosures, both of which courts ultimately overturned. The SEC also lost a legal battle around cryptocurrency trading, leading the agency to approve spot bitcoin ETFs earlier this year.