Trump Taps Tech Titan David Sacks as White House AI & Crypto Czar in Bold Policy Shift
- Trump’s impending presidency promises major shifts in crypto policy with Gary Gensler’s planned SEC exit and David Sacks’s appointment as White House Crypto Czar.
- The crypto community reacts positively, hoping for an end to the SEC’s aggressive regulation under Gensler.
- Questions arise about the effectiveness of the Crypto Czar role and its impact on policy speed and clarity.
- Despite some scepticism, the move could signify a more favourable regulatory environment for crypto, aligning with Trump’s pro-crypto stance.
Donald Trump made big promises to the crypto community and it seems he intends to keep most of them. While it’s too early to say if the Bitcoin reserve will materialise, one dream has already come true for crypto degens: Gary Gensler is leaving the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in January 2025.
Related: New AUSTRAC Task Force to Combat Crypto ATM Use in Money Laundering
And now Trump has just given the crypto community a nice early Christmas present with the announcement of the position of White House Crypto Czar.
Crypto Czar and Pro-Crypto SEC Chief: Christmas Has Come Early
Crypto evangelist David Sacks will become the first “White House A.I. and Crypto Czar”, as per a Trump statement. This comes just days after Trump said pro-crypto lawyer Paul Atkins could head the SEC following Gensler’s departure.
Advertisement
Most in the community have welcomed the move, as it likely ends Gensler’s war on crypto and “regulation by enforcement” strategy, which led to a slew of lawsuits against crypto firms. Others are questioning whether the role really is a good thing or if the new job of Crypto Czar actually could cause more confusion.
Managing director of Capital Alpha Partners, Ian Katz, told Reuters that “personalities will be important”, and who actually drives policies matters.
One big question is whether the policy will be driven by Sacks himself. A czar appointed by Trump is going to want to see changes fairly quickly, but the SEC has processes and you can’t just snap your fingers at the SEC and have new rules.
Ian Katz, Capital Alpha Partners
Some on Crypto Twitter have lamented the newly created role. Perhaps going from a war on crypto to full-on love mode is moving a little too fast for some.
Several commentators said the industry doesn’t need a Crypto Czar; it simply needs to be left to its own devices.
Source: X
Related: ‘China’s MicroStrategy’ Exits Bitcoin, Cashes Out Before $100K Milestone
And there is some justification for that hope, as Sacks seems to understand Bitcoin. At least he has been a HODLer since the early days, according to sources buying at US$130 (approx. AU$203) in 2013. I guess there’s hope.
