At his nomination hearing, Michael Selig emphasized the need for a visible regulator — a "cop on the beat" — to oversee rapidly growing decentralized finance (DeFi) markets. He advocated for clear rules that balance innovation with investor protection and market integrity to prevent fraud and manipulation in digital asset trading.

Selig highlighted collaboration with other agencies and stakeholders as key to crafting a practical regulatory framework. His approach acknowledges the technical challenges of DeFi but frames regulation as an opportunity to foster responsible innovation while safeguarding consumers and the wider financial system.