Most disruptive technologies face initial skepticism, but Bitcoin is probably the most controversial. As an independent money challenging the financial and monetary status quo, Bitcoin’s journey from niche cypherpunk circles to Washington D.C. has been particularly tumultuous.

Now, with the President-elect of the United States openly endorsing Bitcoin and the larger crypto space, its path to regulatory clarity seems increasingly inevitable.

In addition to creating a new position of “AI and Crypto Czar” within his administration, Donald Trump has nominated strong crypto proponents to lead key federal institutions, including the Treasury, the SEC, and the DOJ. The Fed’s Jerome Powell will remain in his role until 2026, but he already appears to soften his stance on crypto.

Trump’s promises to support “Small Tech” and implement stricter regulations on Big Tech further boost the prospects for the crypto industry, which has long voiced concerns about being sidelined by the tech monopolies.

The Treasury

Last month, Trump nominated Scott Bessent, a hedge fund manager and crypto advocate, to head the U.S. Treasury. Bessent is known for his assertion that “Crypto is about freedom, and the crypto economy is here to stay.” This appointment signals a departure from the outgoing administration’s enforcement-heavy approach, which included highly controversial sanctions on decentralized platforms like Tornado Cash.

In fact, the Treasury may already be warming to crypto. In its October presentation to the Treasury Borrowing Advisory Committee at the end of October, officials conceded that the “primary use case for Bitcoin seems to be a store of value aka “digital gold” and acknowledged the crypto sector’s efforts to modernize financial infrastructure. Moreover, they outlined a modest increase in demand for short-dated Treasuries due to the stablecoin’s growth.

The SEC

The most problematic of all U.S. agencies for the crypto industry, the SEC will also change leadership in 2025. Currently led by a pronounced crypto critic Gary Gensler, it is known for numerous lawsuits against crypto companies and its refusal to set clear guidelines on which cryptoassets it considers securities.

To succeed Gensler, Donald Trump has proposed Paul Atkins, a well-known crypto advocate and co-chair of the Token Alliance at the Digital Chamber, a prominent blockchain trade association. Atkins, a former SEC commissioner, champions a more accommodating approach to crypto firms and exchanges. He argues that regulatory clarity would facilitate Americans’ access to domestic platforms, limiting the use of foreign-operated exchanges or risky, complicated methods.

The Fed

Jerome Powell, the current Federal Reserve Chair, is set to remain in his role until his term expires in May 2026. Powell, who had previously wondered how an asset that “lacks intrinsic value” could “trade for a positive number,” now also compares bitcoin to gold. Speaking at The New York Times DealBook Summit last week, he stated, “It’s just like gold, only it’s virtual… It’s not a competitor for the dollar; it’s really a competitor for gold.”

The DOJ

Gail Slater, Trump’s pick for the Justice Department’s antitrust division, is widely anticipated to play a key role in fostering fair competition within the crypto industry. A former FTC (Federal Trade Commission) staffer who has spent over a decade working on antitrust investigations and technology policy, Slater is expected to take a firm stance against Big Tech and support smaller companies.

Commenting on the nomination, Trump wrote on Truth Social: “Big Tech has run wild for years, stifling competition in our most innovative sector and, as we all know, using its market power to crack down on the rights of so many Americans, as well as those of Little Tech!”

If confirmed by the Senate, Slater would inherit monopoly cases against Google, Apple, and VISA.

AI and crypto czar

Reflecting his attention to emerging technologies, Trump has created a new role of “White House AI & Crypto Czar.” Last Friday, Reuters reported that former PayPal COO David Sacks had been appointed to the role. Sacks will be working on a legal framework to ensure that “the Crypto industry has the clarity it has been asking for, and can thrive in the U.S.,” the president-elect promised on Truth Social.

While not all of Trump’s nominations may pass the Senate, the overall trajectory suggests a brighter future for the crypto industry. With pro-crypto leaders at key institutions and a renewed commitment to curbing Big Tech monopolies, the crypto space can shift its energy back to what it does best—innovating.