SEC's Head of Crypto Asset and Cyber Unit departs after nearly nine years

The head of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission's Crypto Asset and Cyber Unit in the Division of Enforcement has left the agency after nearly nine years.

"This past Friday was my last day with the SEC after almost 9 years," David Hirsch wrote on LinkedIn. "During that time I had the opportunity to work on more complex, challenging investigations and issues than I ever imagined when I joined the agency as a staff attorney in the Fort Worth Regional Office."

"I'm particularly proud of the historic work done by the Crypto Assets and Cyber Unit team I had the privilege to lead," Hirsch added.

Hirsch did not provide any details about his future plans but noted that he would share more details after a break.

Prior to joining the SEC, Hirsch was a legal advisory board member at the NYU Center for Cybersecurity.

SEC's pivotal role in crypto

With crypto increasingly becoming a hot political issue in the U.S. ahead of this year's presidential elections, the SEC remains in focus.

The agency recently came under pressure from lawmakers to approve spot Ethereum exchange-traded funds, and its Chair, Gary Gensler, has long been something of an antagonistic figure among crypto proponents.

Regarding departures, a former lawyer known for litigating high-profile cases against Ripple and Coinbase, Ladan Stewart, left the SEC's enforcement division after eight years. She joined the law firm White & Case LLP as a partner.