Critics of Atkins, a proponent of lax crypto regulation, warn of risks to retail investors in another market crash.

President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday picked conservative lawyer Paul Atkins to run the Securities and Exchange Commission, choosing a regulatory skeptic who will be expected to cut red tape and rein in the agency’s enforcement division.

President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday announced he will nominate Paul Atkins, a former Republican regulator who now advises financial firms and cryptocurrency companies, to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission.