The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has appointed a senior Chainlink attorney as chief counsel of its Crypto Task Force. The move deepens the regulator’s bench of industry veterans as it seeks to recalibrate digital asset oversight.
Chainlink confirmed on Feb. 23 that Taylor Lindman departed after five years at the firm, most recently serving as deputy general counsel. According to his LinkedIn profile, Lindman oversaw regulatory compliance across U.S. and international jurisdictions, advised on token and smart contract matters, and engaged policymakers on digital asset classification and securities record-keeping. He replaces Michael Selig, now serving as Chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
JUST IN: Taylor Lindman has been officially appointed as Chief Counsel of the @SECGov's Crypto Task Force.
— Chainlink (@chainlink) February 23, 2026
We thank Taylor for his great 5 years as a key part of the Chainlink Labs team in his role as Deputy General Counsel. We all look forward to modernizing the U.S. financial… pic.twitter.com/puvZPeVcba
Will Industry Hires Shift The SEC’s Approach?
The Crypto Task Force was established in January 2025 to develop a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital assets and move away from a prior enforcement-first posture. SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce leads the group, which has hosted public roundtables and open forums to gather industry feedback. Lindman previously acted as a primary liaison between Chainlink and the SEC during a March meeting focused on token taxonomy and record-keeping standards.
His appointment adds to a roster that already includes Landon Zinda, former policy director at Coin Center, and Veronica Reynolds, a senior advisor with experience in digital asset and Web3-related legal matters. The inclusion of multiple former industry and policy figures signals a deliberate shift toward technical expertise inside the agency. But whether that translates into clearer rulemaking remains uncertain.
Chainlink said it looked forward to “modernizing the U.S. financial system together” following Lindman’s departure. His experience navigating token classification debates and cross-border compliance could influence how the Task Force frames guidance on custody, disclosures, and on-chain record retention. Market participants will be watching upcoming Task Force recommendations and any proposed rule drafts for evidence of a durable policy reset.
