Trump Wants to Establish Cryptocurrency as a Key National Focus

President-elect Donald Trump is preparing to unveil an executive order that will prioritize cryptocurrency as a key policy focus and involve industry leaders in his administration, according to sources familiar with the situation.

The upcoming order is expected to designate cryptocurrency as a national priority—strategic language aimed at prompting government agencies to collaborate with the industry, based on insider information. It is also set to establish a crypto advisory council that will represent the industry’s policy interests, as noted by those who spoke on the condition of anonymity regarding an order that has not yet been made public.

Read: Bitcoin stumbles as Fed policy outlook dents crypto’s Trump trade

Trump has received significant backing from the crypto sector, which holds considerable influence in Washington, supported by well-funded political action committees. Various companies, such as Coinbase and Ripple, have contributed to Trump’s inaugural committee in recent months. Just days before the inauguration, the sector is organizing an “Inaugural Crypto Ball” in support of Trump.

The executive order would mark a significant shift for crypto, which has faced intense scrutiny and investigations during President Joe Biden’s tenure, following several high-profile fraud cases, including the downfall of the FTX exchange. Federal entities like the Securities and Exchange Commission have initiated over 100 enforcement actions against the sector in recent years, while banking regulators have created hurdles for crypto firms collaborating with financial institutions.

There is still ongoing discussion about potentially including a mandate in the executive order for all government agencies to reassess policies related to digital assets and possibly halt any active litigation involving cryptocurrency, the sources indicated. Halting legal actions targeting various firms from Binance Holdings, the largest crypto exchange, to startup Ripple Labs is a significant priority for the industry.

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Another proposal under consideration is the establishment of a national Bitcoin stockpile, which would include the government’s current holdings of the leading cryptocurrency, according to the sources. The US government is reported to possess nearly $20 billion worth of Bitcoin, acquired through various investigations, according to analytics firm Arkham. Bitcoin’s price has surged nearly 50%, surpassing $100,000, since the November elections, partly fueled by hopes for the creation of such a stockpile. The token’s value more than doubled in 2024.

Sources warned that the executive order, which may be issued as soon as Monday, is not finalized and could undergo changes before its public release. A spokesperson for Trump did not immediately provide a comment.

Trump has promised to sign a series of executive orders across various industries and issues within his initial days back in office.

“I believe Donald Trump will communicate that the United States is back and ready to take the lead in this sector,” stated Kara Calvert, vice president for US policy at Coinbase Global Inc., the country’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. “This sends a message to other nations: be wary, or you won’t be able to keep pace.”

Read: Bitcoin approaches $100 000 as congress set to certify Trump win

Despite facing regulatory challenges under Biden, the cryptocurrency sector in the US continues to grow, with prominent financial firms, including the world’s largest asset manager, BlackRock, launching spot Bitcoin and Ether exchange-traded funds last year. BNY has been working to enhance its crypto custody services, and Cantor Fitzgerald has announced intentions to initiate a Bitcoin financing business.

Trump has actively supported the cryptocurrency industry throughout his presidential campaign last year. In July, he was a key speaker at a Bitcoin conference, where he pledged to establish the US as the global crypto capital. Trump-branded non-fungible token collections have been launched over the past few years, and last year he and his sons announced a crypto initiative called World Liberty Financial, intended to allow people to earn and borrow crypto, although it has yet to deliver those services.

© 2025 Bloomberg

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