Trump transforms crypto from ‘oppressed industry’ to ‘centerpiece’ of US economic strategy

According to Crypto.com, Kris Marszalek, CEO of Crypto.com, President Donald Trump has embraced cryptocurrency as a core component of his economic strategy, representing a huge shift in U.S. blockchain policy.

On March 7, Trump wooed the cryptocurrency industry’s elite at the White House, hosting a first-of-its-kind summit focused on his plans for a government-owned stockpile of digital assets. He welcomed a wide range of industry players to the event.

The summit marked a “truly historic day at the White House,” Marszalek said in a March 8 X post.

Trump’s crypto policies spark regulatory shifts and industry optimism

Marszalek lauded Trump for reversing the policies (Operation Chokepoint 2.0) that he claimed resulted in crypto and tech companies being denied banking services during the Biden administration.

Crypto firms may be on the verge of securing banking partners after the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) softened its stance on banks engaging with crypto. The move came just hours after Trump promised to end a long-running crackdown that restricted the industry from financial services.

During the summit, President Trump announced the establishment of a “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve,” a cache of Bitcoin acquired primarily through legal asset seizures. The move has helped “normalize” Bitcoin as an instrument in the overall U.S. financial and monetary system. A “Digital Asset Stockpile” was also established to process other cryptocurrencies acquired through similar means.

The administration’s boldness has given new momentum to legislative attempts on Capitol Hill. Two pieces of legislation are literally connected: the Stablecoin Bill and the Market Structure Bill. All these bills provide recommendations on establishing holistic frameworks to regulate digital assets to achieve regulatory clarity that encourages innovation while protecting investors.

Kris Marszalek, the CEO of Crypto.com, said the industry was optimistic that “thoughtful conversations” with the relevant regulators—the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)—would continue.

Trump’s team lays the groundwork for U.S. Bitcoin integration

David Sacks, the administration’s “crypto czar,” along with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, were praised for setting the country’s crypto policy.

Marszalek’s remarks follow Trump’s signing of an executive order on March 7, outlining a plan to establish a Bitcoin reserve using cryptocurrency seized in government criminal cases rather than actively acquiring Bitcoin through market purchases.

While no direct BTC acquisitions were announced, the order stated that the U.S. Treasury and Commerce secretaries could explore “budget-neutral strategies” to expand the reserve—provided these strategies do not impose additional costs on American taxpayers.

Some analysts view the U.S. Bitcoin reserve plan as the first significant step toward Bitcoin’s integration into the global financial system.

“The US has taken its first real step toward integrating Bitcoin into the fabric of global finance, acknowledging its role as a foundational asset for a more stable and sound monetary system,” said Joe Burnett, head of market research at Unchained.

Though Trump has expressed his commitment to advancing crypto innovation in the U.S., implementing regulatory frameworks takes time, and establishing the “right regulatory tone” will be essential for his administration, according to Anastasija Plotnikova, co-founder and CEO of Fideum, a regulatory and blockchain infrastructure firm focused on institutions.