BRAEDEN ANDERSON

Welcome to Anderson Insights.

We provide authoritative analysis on securities and commodities regulation, SEC and FINRA enforcement, and legal developments affecting crypto, digital assets, fintech, and financial services, authored by Braeden Anderson.

Please enjoy our legal writings. If you want to talk anything through, send Braeden an email.

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K. Braeden Anderson 1/8/26 K. Braeden Anderson 1/8/26

Crenshaw’s Exit, Dissent, and the SEC’s Troubled Crypto Record

Acknowledging the value of dissent does not require suspending scrutiny. It is fair, and necessary, to ask whether the SEC during the prior administration, and Crenshaw in particular, demonstrated sufficient command of the crypto markets they sought to regulate, and whether the agency’s approach over the past several years meaningfully advanced investor protection or instead imposed avoidable costs through uncertainty and inconsistency.

K. Braeden Anderson 10/20/25 K. Braeden Anderson 10/20/25

SEC Restores Simultaneous Consideration Policy for Settlement and Waiver

This article and embedded video discusses the recent policy shift at the SEC regarding simultaneous consideration of settlement offers and related waiver requests in enforcement actions. The policy change reverses a 2021 decision under prior leadership that had required waiver requests to be considered separately, only after a settlement was finalized.

K. Braeden Anderson 4/16/25 K. Braeden Anderson 4/16/25

Paul Atkins Confirmed as SEC Chair Amid Rising Pressure to Act on Chinese Companies

On April 10, 2025, the U.S. Senate confirmed Paul Atkins as the next Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission in a narrow 52-44 vote. During his confirmation process, Atkins faced tough questions about the agency’s recent reversals in crypto enforcement and the influence of the Trump administration on its priorities. But the most pointed pressure came from lawmakers demanding stronger action against Chinese companies listed on U.S. exchanges.

K. Braeden Anderson 12/9/24 K. Braeden Anderson 12/9/24

What to Expect from SEC Chair Paul Atkins: Potential Reforms and Priorities

The nomination of Paul Atkins as Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) signals a new era for the agency. This article explores 13 potential reforms and priorities that could define Atkins’ leadership, based on his past positions, public statements, and the regulatory landscape he inherits.

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Braeden Anderson

K. Braeden Anderson serves as a Partner at Gesmer Updegrove LLP, where he leads the firm’s Blockchain & Digital Assets and Securities Enforcement & Investigations practices. He also chairs Mackrell International’s Blockchain & Digital Assets Group and its Securities Enforcement & Investigations Group.

Named to Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America (2025) for Financial Services Regulation Law and Securities Regulation, Mr. Anderson has built a national reputation as a securities regulatory and enforcement attorney operating at the intersection of traditional finance and emerging technologies. His practice focuses on advising financial institutions, fintech companies, investment advisers (including robo-advisors), broker-dealers, trading platforms, and digital asset companies in complex regulatory, enforcement, and compliance matters before the SEC, CFTC, FINRA, DOJ, and state regulators.

Within the digital asset and blockchain space, Mr. Anderson regularly counsels clients on issues involving market structure, tokenization, robo-advisor and broker-dealer registration, custody frameworks, AML and KYC obligations, and secondary trading considerations for regulated assets. His work spans both established financial institutions and early-stage ventures, helping clients operate within rapidly evolving regulatory environments with precision and strategic clarity.

Mr. Anderson also represents professional athletes and sports organizations in connection with regulatory and investigative matters requiring careful handling and discretion.

Prior to joining Gesmer, Mr. Anderson founded a Washington, D.C.-based law firm. He previously served as Assistant General Counsel at Robinhood Markets, Inc. (HOOD), where he advised on significant regulatory and enforcement matters. Earlier in his career, he practiced at Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Sidley Austin LLP in New York and Washington, D.C., representing clients in matters involving major federal enforcement authorities and providing regulatory advice on complex financial matters.

Mr. Anderson is an active contributor to the national conversation on securities and digital asset regulation. He publishes a widely followed weekly newsletter that has reached millions of legal and financial professionals and produces video content on YouTube for an audience of over 160,000 subscribers. He is also the editor of this legal publication, Anderson Insights, where he provides in-depth analysis for regulators, in-house counsel, and compliance professionals.

Mr. Anderson is also the creator of The Long Game with Braeden Anderson, a new digital series on YouTube exploring the intersection of golf, discipline, and high-performance thinking, featuring match-play conversations with legal executives and business leaders.

He was recently recognized as the most-read fintech thought leader in the United States in Mondaq’s Spring 2025 Thought Leadership Awards.