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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsThe SEC announced on February 20, 2025, that its new Cyber and Emerging Technologies Unit (CETU) would replace the Crypto Assets and Cyber Unit. The change broadened the priorities named in the unit’s description, but crypto did not disappear: fraud involving blockchain technology and crypto assets remains an explicit focus.
What changed at the SEC?
In release 2025-42, the SEC said CETU would take the place of its Crypto Assets and Cyber Unit. The agency named Laura D’Allaird as CETU’s chief and described the unit as having approximately 30 fraud specialists and attorneys working across multiple SEC offices. That is the SEC’s description at the time of the announcement, not a verified current headcount.
The change is best understood as a replacement with a broader stated focus—not evidence that the SEC changed its underlying legal authority. The announcement describes the unit’s enforcement priorities; it does not establish how effective the unit will be or predict which cases it will bring.
What does the Cyber and Emerging Technologies Unit investigate?
The SEC identified seven priority areas in its announcement:
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- Fraud involving artificial intelligence or machine learning.
- Fraud using social media, the dark web or false websites.
- Hacking to obtain material nonpublic information.
- Takeovers of retail brokerage accounts.
- Fraud involving blockchain technology and crypto assets.
- Compliance by regulated entities with cybersecurity rules and regulations.
- Fraudulent cybersecurity disclosures by public issuers.
The list ranges from investment fraud to cybersecurity compliance and issuer disclosures. It describes stated priorities, not an exhaustive account of the SEC’s authority or a guarantee that every matter in these categories will be handled by CETU.
Did the SEC end crypto enforcement?
No. The SEC explicitly included fraud involving blockchain technology and crypto assets among CETU’s priorities. The name changed, and the announced focus widened to include other emerging-technology and cyber-related misconduct, but the release does not say crypto enforcement ended.
How CETU differs from the Crypto Task Force and FinHub
The SEC’s March 21, 2025 overview assigns distinct roles to three functions connected to crypto and financial technology:
| SEC function | Stated role |
|---|---|
| Cyber and Emerging Technologies Unit (CETU) | Enforcement focused on cyber-related misconduct and bad actors in emerging technologies. |
| Crypto Task Force | Work toward crypto-policy clarity and recommendations. |
| FinHub | Facilitate engagement with fintech innovators, developers and entrepreneurs. |
These descriptions come from the SEC’s March 2025 overview. They distinguish enforcement from policy work and engagement; the functions may relate to the same technology landscape without having the same job.
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What the staffing figures do—and do not—show
In May 2022, the SEC said it was adding 20 positions to the then Crypto Assets and Cyber Unit, bringing it to 50 dedicated positions. The SEC also reported that, since the unit’s creation in 2017, it had brought more than 80 enforcement actions related to fraudulent and unregistered crypto-asset offerings and platforms, with monetary relief totaling more than $2 billion. Those are historical figures published by the SEC in 2022; they describe the predecessor unit’s reported record, not CETU’s.
The 2025 announcement’s “approximately 30” fraud specialists and attorneys is not directly comparable with the 2022 figure of 50 dedicated positions. The statements use different terms and refer to announcements nearly three years apart, so they do not establish that the SEC cut the unit by 20 people.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the SEC said about the change
In its announcement, Acting Chairman Mark T. Uyeda said the new unit would complement the Crypto Task Force and allow the SEC to deploy enforcement resources “judiciously.” He also said CETU would protect investors, support capital formation and market efficiency, and address misuse of innovation. Those remarks explain the agency’s stated rationale and aims; they are not evidence of results.
Read the SEC’s February 20, 2025 announcement for the unit’s stated priorities and leadership. The agency’s March 2025 overview of its crypto-related functions describes CETU, the Crypto Task Force and FinHub. For historical context, the SEC’s May 2022 announcement about the predecessor unit gives its staffing expansion and enforcement figures.
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