Key Takeaways
- Coinbase policy exec claimed the upcoming administration will give Americans the power to have their voices heard in crypto policy.
- The chief executive also predicted that crypto laws will be able to be passed quicker once Donald Trump takes office in January.
- Two key pieces of crypto legislation are currently passing through Congress.
Coinbase’s chief policy officer, Faryar Shirzad, has reaffirmed his belief that the U.S. will quickly become pro-crypto once President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.
The policy executive for the third largest crypto exchange also said he was “optimistic” that key crypto and stablecoin legislation will get passed in 2025.
Pro-Crypto U.S.
In an interview with CNBC, Shirzad said the U.S. now had the “most pro-crypto Congress ever [in] history” and “an extraordinarily pro-crypto president coming into office.”
The chief executive said the combination of the two will “finally allow the 50 million Americans who own crypto to have their interests and voices heard in policy.”
Shirzad believes the Republicans’ landslide victory, securing control of the House of Representatives and the Senate, will make the process of passing crypto laws easier.
With this in mind, Shirzad said he is “optimistic” that the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act (FIT21) and the Clarity for Payment Stablecoins Act currently passing through Congress will get greenlit.
The FIT21 Act, also known as H.R. 4763, aims to modernize the regulatory framework for digital assets in the U.S. by clarifying the roles of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
Meanwhile, the Clarity for Payment Stablecoins Act complements FIT21 by providing specific regulations for stablecoins used as payment instruments.
Shirzad told CNBC that if the two pieces of legislation are not passed this year, he expects “significant movement and hopefully passage of both market structure legislation and stablecoin legislation in 2025.”
Trump, a Pro-Crypto President
Many believe Trump’s presidential victory has marked a turning point for crypto regulation in the U.S.
Throughout his campaign, Trump made bold promises to appeal to crypto voters, focusing on ending the Biden administration’s anti-crypto policies.
Last month, SEC Chair Gary Gensler announced that he would step down on the day of Trump’s inauguration.
Under Gensler’s leadership, the SEC has consistently argued that most digital assets meet the definition of securities under U.S. law, requiring platforms to adhere to stricter regulatory oversight.
In 2023, the SEC sued Binance, Coinbase, and Kraken, alleging they violated U.S. securities laws by offering specific cryptocurrencies that the SEC considers unregistered securities.
Most of these cases are still ongoing. With an incoming pro-crypto administration, it’s likely these cases will be resolved in 2025.
Kurt Robson is a London-based reporter at CCN, specialising in the fast-moving worlds of crypto and emerging technology. He began his career covering local news in Cornwall after graduating from Falmouth University with First Class Honours in Journalism. There, he cut his teeth on everything from council meetings to missing swans.
He quickly rose through the ranks to become a frontline journalist at several of the UK’s leading national newspapers. Over the years, he has interviewed musicians and celebrities, reported from courtrooms and crime scenes, and secured multiple front-page exclusives.
Following the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kurt shifted his focus to technology journalism—just ahead of the AI boom. With a natural curiosity and a trained eye for emerging trends, he has found a new rhythm in reporting on innovation.
At CCN, Kurt's work focuses on the cutting edge of crypto, blockchain, AI, and the evolving digital world. Drawing on his background in people-first reporting and his deep interest in disruptive tech, Kurt delivers stories that are insightful, entertaining, and human-centric.
