By Douglas Gillison

June 4 (Reuters) - Jamie Selway, a long-time market structure and investment technology expert with ties to the crypto sector, has been tapped to run the trading and markets division at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.

Selway, who withdrew as a candidate for the position in the previous Trump administration, would take charge of a division heavily depleted by this year's voluntary staff reductions at the markets watchdog.

The SEC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Selway declined to comment.

The division oversees broker-dealers, stock exchanges, clearing houses, swap dealers and other market players.

Selway is currently a partner at Sophron Advisors where he advises clients on strategy and capital formation with a focus on new financial technologies, according to the company's website. He also previously held senior positions at crypto firm Blockchain and BATS Global Markets, a global stock exchange operator.

The Wall Street Journal reported in 2015 that while working for the former agency brokerage Investment Technology Group in 2010, Selway had informed the company's compliance team of the apparent improper use by another executive of client data in a new trading project.

ITG subsequently paid a record fine over the matter.

(Reporting by Douglas Gillison; Editing by Jamie Freed)

((douglas.gillison@thomsonreuters.com;))