The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has requested an additional $158 million from Congress for its fiscal year 2025.
SEC Chair Gary Gensler stressed the importance of these funds in light of the market’s risks and the rapid pace of technological advancement. The total budget request for 2025 is $2.594 billion, up from $2.436 billion in 2024, according to the SEC’s budget explanation.
One of the primary areas of focus is increasing the number of SEC jobs to 5,621 in 2025, up from 5,473 in 2024. This includes increasing the number of jobs in the Division of Examinations (EXAMS) to address the shifting risks connected with growing financial technologies and digital assets.
The Office of Investor Education and Advocacy (OIEA) will also add one post to handle questions and concerns about cryptocurrencycurrency-based securities fraud. To encourage more litigation and whistleblower proceedings, the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) intends to fill two new positions.
Despite falling short of several performance targets, the SEC announced an increase in enforcement proceedings involving bitcoin. This reflects the agency’s ongoing efforts to protect investors and maintain market integrity.
