David Yaffe-Bellany

So there are a couple of key people who are going to have important roles in the Trump administration who are big crypto backers. The first one is a guy named Howard Letnick.

So there are a couple of key people who are going to have important roles in the Trump administration who are big crypto backers. The first one is a guy named Howard Letnick.

who runs an investment bank called Cantor Fitzgerald. He's run it for many years. And he's a huge Bitcoin booster. And his bank for a long time has had a business relationship with a very important crypto company called Tether.

who runs an investment bank called Cantor Fitzgerald. He's run it for many years. And he's a huge Bitcoin booster. And his bank for a long time has had a business relationship with a very important crypto company called Tether.

And Lutnick was appointed by Trump as co-chair of the presidential transition team, which is a super important role. He essentially was overseeing the selection of personnel throughout government.

And Lutnick was appointed by Trump as co-chair of the presidential transition team, which is a super important role. He essentially was overseeing the selection of personnel throughout government.

Exactly. So that in and of itself was a huge boost for the crypto industry.

Exactly. So that in and of itself was a huge boost for the crypto industry.

Lutnik himself was picked by Trump to be Commerce Secretary, a kind of important role in economic regulation in the cabinet. So that was the first kind of big personnel win for the crypto industry. But the part of the new administration that crypto was most fixated on was the SEC, the nation's main financial regulator.

Lutnik himself was picked by Trump to be Commerce Secretary, a kind of important role in economic regulation in the cabinet. So that was the first kind of big personnel win for the crypto industry. But the part of the new administration that crypto was most fixated on was the SEC, the nation's main financial regulator.

And it's the agency that had been going after crypto companies in this Gensler era, launching all of these lawsuits. And the person that Trump has chosen to lead the SEC is an experienced securities lawyer named Paul Atkins.

And it's the agency that had been going after crypto companies in this Gensler era, launching all of these lawsuits. And the person that Trump has chosen to lead the SEC is an experienced securities lawyer named Paul Atkins.

Atkins is not some like crazy fringe pick. He's really respected in the legal community, but he's also a crypto backer. He has consulted for crypto companies during his career in the private sector. And crucially, he served on the advisory board of one of the largest crypto trade groups.

Atkins is not some like crazy fringe pick. He's really respected in the legal community, but he's also a crypto backer. He has consulted for crypto companies during his career in the private sector. And crucially, he served on the advisory board of one of the largest crypto trade groups.

There is a huge amount of enthusiasm in the crypto world when he was selected.

There is a huge amount of enthusiasm in the crypto world when he was selected.

So those two key personnel selections, Letnick and Atkins, added to the various Trump family members who are outspoken about crypto.

So those two key personnel selections, Letnick and Atkins, added to the various Trump family members who are outspoken about crypto.

Eric Trump was just at a big Bitcoin conference in Abu Dhabi talking about how much he loves Bitcoin. You know, that's just generated a huge amount of optimism in the crypto world.

Eric Trump was just at a big Bitcoin conference in Abu Dhabi talking about how much he loves Bitcoin. You know, that's just generated a huge amount of optimism in the crypto world.