US Vice President JD Vance Calls on Crypto Industry to Engage Politically to Secure Regulatory Clarity
United States Vice President JD Vance has urged the domestic cryptocurrency industry to stay actively involved in US politics, emphasizing the strong ties between President Donald Trump’s administration and the crypto sector, as per The AP.
Speaking at a Bitcoin conference in Las Vegas on Wednesday, Vance encouraged cryptocurrency executives and enthusiasts to continue lobbying Congress to pass pro-crypto legislation backed by the White House.
“We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to unleash innovation and improve the lives of countless Americans,” Vance said. “But if we fail to create regulatory clarity now, we risk pushing this $3 trillion industry offshore in search of friendlier jurisdictions.”
Vance’s remarks follow President Trump’s promise last year, delivered at a Bitcoin conference in Nashville during his presidential campaign, to make the US the “crypto capital of the planet.” The crypto industry, which felt targeted by former President Joe Biden’s administration, invested heavily to support Trump and pro-crypto lawmakers.
Highlighting the industry’s political influence, Vance gave special recognition to Gemini founders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss for their role in mobilizing the crypto community during last year’s elections.
“You chose to speak up and get involved, and I believe you changed the country’s trajectory because of it,” Vance told the audience at the Venetian Hotel.
He portrayed cryptocurrencies as a valuable hedge for conservative populists against “bad politicians, overly aggressive regulators, and unethical elites,” predicting deeper integration of digital currencies into mainstream finance. Vance also stressed the strategic importance of US leadership in crypto, noting China’s hostile stance toward the industry.
As president, Trump has taken notable steps supporting cryptocurrency, including establishing a Bitcoin reserve for the federal government and pardoning Ross Ulbricht, founder of the Silk Road black market website that helped spur Bitcoin’s early growth.
Several Trump administration officials and Trump’s sons Don Jr. and Eric also spoke at the conference. Trump’s administration has rolled back or paused enforcement actions against major crypto companies.
However, the Trump family’s financial interests in cryptocurrency have drawn criticism from Democrats and some in the crypto community as potentially corrupt. The Trumps hold about 60 percent of a crypto project called World Liberty Financial, which recently launched a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar. The US Senate recently advanced legislation to regulate stablecoins, which Vance said the administration wants passed swiftly.
Trump’s media company announced plans to raise $2.5 billion to purchase Bitcoin. Additionally, the president and First Lady Melania Trump have launched their own meme coins. Last week, Trump rewarded about 220 top investors in his $TRUMP coin with a visit to his luxury golf club in northern Virginia.
