PANews reported on January 17 that according to CoinDesk, Megan Barbero, general counsel of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), announced that she will step down on January 20, along with several other senior officials. This date coincides with the inauguration of President-elect Trump, and his newly appointed SEC leadership will take over an agency with almost no current senior officials.

Barbero has served as general counsel since February 2023, responsible for the SEC's legal disputes and enforcement policies in federal courts. SEC Chairman Gary Gensler will also step down on the same day. Previously, Gurbir Grewal, head of the enforcement department, left in October last year, and Paul Munter, chief accountant in charge of crypto accounting policy, also announced this week that he would leave.