U.S. regulators have been putting pressure on the crypto space over the last year, even more so in light of the demise of FTX and the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank.
Now, according to job postings on the official U.S. government careers website, the SEC is hiring attorneys general in New York, New York; San Francisco, California; and the Crypto Assets and Cyber Division of Law Enforcement in Washington, D.C. Part of the job's responsibilities will include conducting "complex, expedited investigations" involving cryptoasset securities and cyber issues. Additional duties include drafting subpoenas or document requests, interviewing witnesses, evaluating evidence, and more.
Salaries for the position of Attorney General range from $140,830 to $259,590 per year.
The announcement comes shortly after Chairman Gary Gensler requested nearly $2.4 billion in funding to pursue cryptocurrency “misconduct” on March 29. At the same time, local regulators plan to impose new taxes on the industry, leading some in the industry to wonder whether these and other regulations will "kill" the industry and hinder innovation.
Most recently, the Beaxy cryptocurrency exchange shut down after the SEC filed multiple charges against the company’s founders. Japan-based Sushi DAO is also facing a subpoena from the SEC. However, not everyone who holds the position of the regulator agrees with the SEC's approach. Representative Tom Emmer called Gensler a "malicious regulator" and questioned his approach to industry regulation.
