Original author: Zhou Zhou, Foresight News
There were the Eight Traitors of Silicon Valley before, and there are the Eight Generals of the White House after Trump. The former pioneered an era of technological innovation in the United States, while the latter is changing the crypto industry.
Unlike the strict regulation of cryptocurrencies during the Biden administration, the crypto-friendly wind during the Trump administration is blowing to every corner of American politics and business. The crypto-staff group formed by Trump for cryptocurrencies is a group of government officials who clearly support cryptocurrencies, some of whom can even be called radical.
This is also related to the background of the members of the Crypto Staff themselves. They are either members of the well-known Paypal gang in Silicon Valley, or the most vocal crypto supporters in the SEC and CFTC.
Trumps achievements and influence in cryptocurrencies can be traced. In the four months from November 2024 to now, he has led three major market trends. In November 2024, one month after Trump won the election, the crypto market, including the altcoin market, rose for a whole month; on January 18, 2025 (two days before Trump officially took over the presidency), Trump announced the issuance of memecoin-Trump, with a market value of 80 billion US dollars in three days. The entire crypto market was sucked dry. On the same day, all cryptocurrencies except Trump plummeted, and then Trumps wife also issued memecoin, which became a key turning point in the crypto markets decline from prosperity.
This month (March 2), Trump made another move, announcing the inclusion of five cryptocurrencies, BTC, ETH, Sol, ADA, and XRP, into the national reserve. Within a day, BTC and other cryptocurrencies rose across the board again, ending a week of continuous decline. After the news ended, the crypto market cooled again. It can be said that almost every time Trumps team releases news, it can cause significant shocks to the crypto market.
The crypto staff behind Trump are undoubtedly experts in playing cryptocurrencies. Not only are they in high positions of power and serve as top decision-makers in various important positions in the United States, but their attitudes towards cryptocurrencies are also very clear and even radical. It is foreseeable that they will continue to have a profound impact on the development of the entire crypto industry in 2025 and even in the next four years.
I took this opportunity to take stock of the eight key figures around Trump who are and will continue to exert direct and significant influence on the cryptocurrency industry. They are Crypto Czar David Sacks, current SEC Acting Chairman Mark T. Uyeda, SEC Chairman Paul Atkins, Crypto Mom Hester Peirce, current CFTC Chairman Brian Quintenz, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Vice President JD Vance.
Crypto Czar David Sacks: Bitcoin has the potential to become the next generation of the Internet
David Sacks is the main promoter of the first White House Crypto Summit to be held on March 7.
David Sacks is one of the most critical figures in Trumps crypto staff. On January 23, 2025, Trump signed an executive order to establish the Presidents Digital Asset Market Task Force, which is led by David Sacks.
Trump announced David Sacks as the White House AI and Cryptocurrency Czar through his Truth Social platform on December 5, 2024. In the announcement, Trump said that David Sacks will guide the governments policies on artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency and work to make the United States a global leader in both areas.
David Sacks and Trump
The Crypto Czar is a new position created by Trump to promote the development of cryptocurrencies. He is responsible for coordinating the federal governments regulatory policy on cryptocurrencies, has highly centralized power, and can quickly contact the SEC, the Department of Finance, the Department of Commerce and other cross-departmental cooperation to advance the crypto agenda.
David Sacks is a forward-looking investor and entrepreneur. As early as 2013, he expressed his optimism about Bitcoin. At that time, he said on social media: Bitcoin has the potential to become the next Internet - the Internet of Money. I am buying it. He started buying Bitcoin in 2012 and said on many occasions that the revolutionary nature of Bitcoin lies in its potential as a non-legal currency. He believes that Bitcoin does not rely on the government, but is supported by mathematics and encryption technology, providing a financial system independent of government control.
David Sacks is not only a Silicon Valley venture capitalist, but also a member of the founding team of PayPal. He has close ties with Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, who are both members of the PayPal Mafia. David Sacks also worked closely with Musk when he acquired Twitter in 2022.
In 2017, David Sacks founded the venture capital firm Craft Ventures and invested heavily in cryptocurrency and AI startups, participating in early investments in crypto companies such as dydx and Lightning Labs.
SEC Acting Chairman Mark T. Uyeda: The War on Crypto Must End
“The war on crypto has to end. We need safe harbors and regulatory sandboxes where innovation has room to thrive,” Uyeda said in an interview with Stuart Varney on November 23, 2024.
Uyeda is the current acting SEC chairman and is known for his cryptocurrency-friendly stance.
Previously, he had long opposed the SECs regulation of the crypto industry through enforcement actions rather than clear rules under the leadership of former SEC Chairman Gary Gensler, believing that this approach had a disastrous impact on the development of the industry. He and Peirce jointly opposed the SECs rejection of Coinbases rulemaking request, believing that the SEC should actively respond to industry needs.
On the left is former SEC Chairman Gary Gensler, and on the right is current SEC Acting Chairman Mark T. Uyeda
After assuming the role of acting SEC chairman, Uyeda moved quickly, announcing on January 21, 2025 the creation of a new “Crypto Task Force,” led by SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, to develop a comprehensive and clear regulatory framework for crypto assets.
After Uyeda took office, he immediately nominated another crypto-friendly former SEC commissioner, Paul Atkins, as the permanent chairman of the SEC (but he needs to be confirmed by the Senate).
SEC Chairman Paul Atkins: Digital assets are a key innovation to make America great again
Both Crypto Mom Hester Peirce and current SEC Acting Chairman Mark T. Uyeda served as his lawyer on the private team of then-SEC Commissioner Paul Atkins and maintained a long-term relationship with him.
Paul Atkins was appointed by Trump as the Chairman of the SEC (acting), but he still needs to be confirmed by the Senate. After being nominated by Trump as the permanent Chairman of the SEC in January 2025, he stated: Digital assets are a key innovation to make America great again. The role of the SEC is to support vibrant and innovative capital markets, not to suppress new technologies with outdated frameworks.
Atkins is widely seen as a staunch supporter of cryptocurrencies, winning broad support from the crypto community, with Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse and Gemini exchange Cameron Winklevoss, for example, both publicly praising his nomination, arguing that it would bring “common sense regulation” to digital assets.
Paul Atkins is also the current CEO of Patomak Global Partners, a firm that provides consulting services to the financial and cryptocurrency industries.
Atkins will join other Trump finance officials, such as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who both support Bitcoin, in forming a pro-crypto policy team.
Crypto Mom Hester Peirce: DeFi is a testing ground for financial democratization
During Bidens presidency, Hester Peirce was the most supportive voice of cryptocurrency innovation within the SEC. She said: DeFi is a testing ground for financial democratization.
In 2018, she said: We may be entering a new era in which all transactions in financial markets are recorded on the blockchain... We should welcome this possibility rather than try to eliminate it.
Today, Hester Peirce has become a key female figure in President Trumps staff and is well-known for her open attitude towards cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.
Peirce was appointed SEC commissioner in 2018 and has repeatedly expressed support for cryptocurrency innovation during his tenure.
In 2018, when she objected to the rejection of the Winklevoss Bitcoin ETF, she said: The SECs reasons for rejecting the Bitcoin ETF are untenable. We deprive investors of their choice without any evidence that the market will be harmed. She first won the title of Crypto Mom in the crypto community for this stance.
Crypto Mom Hester Peirce
Peirces contributions to cryptocurrency mainly include: believing that the SECs overly strict regulation has hindered innovation in the crypto industry, he has repeatedly criticized the SEC for refusing to approve a Bitcoin spot ETF, and advocating for a clearer regulatory framework for decentralized finance (DeFi).
In 2020, Peirce also proposed a safe harbor proposal, which suggested allowing crypto projects to be exempt from the strict restrictions of securities laws for three years so that projects can develop and achieve decentralization without the threat of SEC supervision. Although this proposal was not adopted by the SEC, it has sparked widespread discussion in the industry. She is also one of the few SEC members who supports the listing of Bitcoin ETFs.
On March 3, 2025, the SEC announced the list of members of the SEC Crypto Working Group, further confirming that Peirce will lead the working group.
CFTC Chairman Brian Quintenz: Bitcoin is a commodity, just like gold or oil
Bitcoin is a commodity, just like gold or oil, said Brian Quintenz, current chairman of the U.S. CFTC.
Brian Quintenz was the policy director of the cryptocurrency department of a16z. Today, he is the current chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
He is currently seen as one of the key figures in promoting cryptocurrency policy in the Trump administration.
Brian Quintenz was nominated by President Donald Trump and took office in February 2025 after being formally confirmed by the Senate.
Brian Quintenz served as a CFTC commissioner from 2017 to 2021, during which time he led the agencys Technology Advisory Committee and hosted several public policy discussions and briefings on cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. He actively advocated for gentle regulation of cryptocurrencies, emphasizing that while protecting investors, innovation should not be stifled.
He has pushed for the launch of the first regulated Bitcoin and Ethereum futures contracts on U.S. derivatives exchanges, demonstrating his deep understanding and support for the crypto market.
Brian Quintenz supports treating most crypto assets as commodities rather than securities, which is consistent with the CFTCs jurisdiction. He has publicly questioned the SECs position on assets such as Ethereum, arguing that if Ethereum is considered a security, its futures contracts will be illegal. He has pushed for the CFTC to be the primary regulator of the crypto market to avoid the SECs strict framework.
After leaving the CFTC, Brian Quintenz joined the cryptocurrency department of venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z for short) as director of policy, working to promote regulatory reforms that benefit the crypto industry.
In terms of personal investments, Brian Quintenz has invested in the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust, showing his confidence in cryptocurrency assets.
At the national level, Brian Quintenz is also an active supporter of cryptocurrency. National crypto reserves are not a dream, but a strategy, and the CFTC will work with the government to explore how Bitcoin can enhance the resilience of the U.S. economy, Brian Quintenz said at a summit in March 2025.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent: Cryptocurrency is about freedom, national crypto reserves are not a dream
A national crypto reserve is not a dream, but a strategy, and Bitcoin can enhance the resilience of the U.S. economy. In January 2025, current Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.
Scott Bessent is a radical cryptocurrency supporter. He once predicted that the price of Bitcoin would reach $980,000. According to the financial disclosure documents of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics made public in January 2025, Bessent holds between $250,000 and $500,000 worth of BlackRock Bitcoin Spot ETF (IBIT).
Pictured: Scott Bessent
Scott Bessent is the founder of Key Square Capital Management and previously served as partner and chief investment officer at George Soros Soros Fund Management.
Bessent has publicly expressed support for cryptocurrencies, especially Bitcoin, on many occasions. He believes that cryptocurrencies represent freedom and are a key component of innovation in the financial system. In an interview with Fox Business in July 2024, he said: Cryptocurrency is about freedom, and the crypto economy will exist for a long time. He also pointed out that Bitcoin is attractive to the younger generation and those outside the traditional banking system, and can cultivate the market culture of the United States.
He supports Trump’s idea of establishing a national Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, believing that this could position the United States as a global leader in digital assets.
Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick: Bitcoin is the future of the economy!
Bitcoin is the economy of the future! Howard Lutnick, the current U.S. Secretary of Commerce, once said in a public speech.
Lutnick has a positive attitude towards cryptocurrencies and has publicly supported Bitcoin and other digital assets. He compares Bitcoin to gold and advocates its global free trade. In February 2025, Howard Lutnick was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as U.S. Secretary of Commerce.
Prior to this, Lutnick served as CEO of financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald, a key partner of Tether (USDT), the worlds largest stablecoin, responsible for managing part of Tethers reserve assets (including U.S. Treasuries).
As CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, Lutnick actively supports Tether (USDT) and endorses the legitimacy of its reserves. He pointed out that Cantor Fitzgerald, as the main Treasury dealer of the US government, is able to meet large-scale redemption demands and ensure the stability of Tether.
Lutnick also posted on X: Tether is the backbone of the crypto economy, and those who question it dont understand modern finance.
Vice President JD Vance: First Presidential Candidate to Own Bitcoin
JD Vance, the current Vice President of the United States, is the first presidential candidate in American history to own Bitcoin.
Vance has repeatedly viewed Bitcoin as a tool to fight government control of finance. He said during his 2024 campaign: Bitcoin represents a decentralized future, and we need to protect it from bureaucracy. Although he did not explicitly support Trumps National Bitcoin Reserve plan, his remarks echoed this vision.
In 2022, when the Canadian government froze the bank accounts of people associated with the Ottawa Trucker protest, Vance posted: “This is why cryptocurrencies are booming, if you have the wrong political views, the government will cut off your access to banking services.”
According to public disclosures in 2023, Vance held between $250,000 and $500,000 worth of Bitcoin (BTC) through Coinbase. After being nominated as a vice presidential candidate, Vance liquidated his personal Bitcoin holdings at the end of July 2024 to avoid potential conflicts of interest. This coincided with his wife Usha Vances resignation from the law firm Munger, Tolles Olson (which had provided legal services to Coinbase) at the same time.
Like crypto tsar David Sacks, Vances career in Silicon Valley has given him deep connections with tech leaders who support crypto. In 2019, Vance co-founded venture capital firm Narya Capital with PayPal co-founders Peter Thiel and Eric Schmidt, focusing on tech startups in the Midwest. He resigned as a partner after being elected senator in 2022, but still holds at least $500,000 in shares in the company.
Final Thoughts
Trump has become the person in the world who has the greatest influence on the crypto industry ecosystem.
His radical attitude towards cryptocurrencies comes from Trump’s personal inclinations on the one hand, and from the long-standing attitude of his core team members and his core supporters towards cryptocurrencies on the other.
In 2013, crypto czar David Sacks began to publicly support Bitcoin. As one of the founding team members of PayPal, he believed that BTC was consistent with PayPals original dream of establishing a global currency. In 2018, Peirce, then a member of the SEC, and Brian Quintenz, then a member of the CFTC, publicly criticized the authorities for being too strict in regulating the crypto industry. Now they are the leaders of the SEC and CFTC.
When an arrow that has been accumulating strength for seven years is shot towards 2025 and hits the bulls eye, the potential energy it stimulates will continue to extend.
