[U.S. SEC Commissioner: Layer 2 Chains with Centralized Sequencers May Need to Register as Exchanges] Hester M. Peirce, a commissioner of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), stated that Layer 2 blockchains utilizing centralized sequencers might need to register as exchanges under existing regulations. Her comments have sparked concerns about the compliance of Layer 2 scaling solutions, which often rely on centralized sequencers to optimize transaction processing efficiency. Peirce's remarks further underscore the SEC's intensified regulatory scrutiny of the crypto industry's infrastructure.