According to Bloomberg, President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team is reportedly in discussions with the digital asset industry to potentially establish a dedicated White House position focused solely on cryptocurrency policy. This unprecedented move would mark a significant step for the burgeoning industry and highlight its growing influence in Washington.
Sources close to the transition efforts indicate that the Trump team is actively vetting candidates for this potential role, which could take the form of a senior staff position or a “crypto czar” responsible for overseeing policy and regulation across various federal agencies. Crypto industry advocates are reportedly pushing for the advisor to have direct access to President-elect Trump.
While the exact nature of the position remains unclear, the Trump transition team has not yet commented on the matter.
This development follows President-elect Trump’s vocal support for the crypto industry during his campaign. He pledged to replace current SEC Chair Gary Gensler, who has overseen increased regulatory scrutiny of the digital asset space, and promised to reduce regulation while establishing a presidential advisory council on crypto. Several sources suggest that industry figures are currently vying for positions on this proposed council.
Trump has demonstrated his interest in the sector through meetings with executives from Bitcoin mining companies and crypto exchanges over the summer, as well as his appearance at a Bitcoin conference in July. His personal ventures in the crypto space, including the recent release of his fourth NFT collection and involvement in the launch of World Liberty Financial, further underscore this connection.
Discussions surrounding the potential crypto advisor role reportedly involve leading a small staff and serving as a liaison between Congress, the White House, and regulatory agencies like the SEC and the CFTC.
The activity around this potential appointment has intensified in recent days, with crypto industry allies visiting Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, where personnel discussions and candidate interviews are being conducted. Notably, Brian Brooks, a former executive at Coinbase Global Inc. and Binance.US, and a potential candidate for SEC chair, met with Trump on Tuesday. Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase Global Inc., also reportedly spoke with Trump this week.