GuShiio.com Trump’s “Eight Major Generals of Encryption”.
Written by: Zhou Zhou, Foresight News
There were the “Eight Traitors of Silicon Valley” before them, and then Trump’s “Eight Generals of the White House.” The former has created an era of technological innovation in the United States, while the latter is rolling over the encryption industry.
Different from the “strict encryption supervision” style during the Biden administration, the “crypto-friendly style” during the Trump administration is blowing to all corners of American politics and business. The “Crypto Staff Group” established by Trump for cryptocurrency is a group of high-ranking government officials who support cryptocurrency. Some of them can even be called radical.
This is also related to the background of the members of the “Crypto Staff Group” themselves. They are either members of the well-known Paypal gang in Silicon Valley or the most clear-cut supporters of crypto in the SEC and CFTC.
Trump’s own “record” and “influence” in cryptocurrencies are well documented. In the four months from November 2024 to the present, he has dominated three major markets. In November 2024, one month after Trump won the election, the crypto market, including the altcoin market, rose for a full month; on January 18, 2025 (two days before Trump officially took over the presidency), Trump announced the release of memecoin Trump. The market value reached US$80 billion in three days. The entire crypto market was “sucked dry”. On that day, other cryptocurrencies except Trump plummeted, and then Trump’s wife also issued memecoin, which became a key turning point in the crypto market’s decline.
This month (March 2), Trump took action again, announcing that five cryptocurrencies such as BTC, ETH, Sol, ADA, and XRP would be included in the national reserve. Within one day, BTC and other cryptocurrencies rose again across the board, ending a week of continuous decline. After the news fever ended, the crypto market fell cold again. It can be said that almost every time the Trump team releases news, it can have a significant shock to the encryption market.
The “crypto aides” behind Trump are undoubtedly masters at playing cryptocurrencies. Not only do they have high authority and serve as the top decision-makers in various important positions in the United States, but they also have a clear and even radical attitude towards cryptocurrencies. It is foreseeable that they will continue to and profoundly influence the development of the entire encryption industry in 2025 and even in the next four years.
Taking this opportunity, I took stock of eight key figures around Trump who are and will continue to exert direct and important influence on the cryptocurrency industry. They are encryption czar David Sacks and current acting chairman of the SEC Mark T. Uyeda, SEC Chairman Paul Atkins, Crypto Mom Hester Peirce, CFTC Chairman Brian Quintenz, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Vice President JD Vance.
Crypto czar David Sacks: Bitcoin has the potential to become the next generation of Internet
David Sacks is the main promoter of the upcoming White House’s first Crypto Summit on March 7.
David Sacks is one of the most key figures in Trump’s crypto staff. On January 23, 2025, Trump signed an executive order establishing the “President’s Digital Asset Markets Working Group”, which is led by David Sacks.
On December 5, 2024, Trump announced David Sacks as the “White House AI and Cryptocurrency Tsar” through his Truth Social platform. Trump said in the announcement that David Sacks will “guide government policies on artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency” and “work to make the United States a global leader in these two areas.”
David Sacks and Trump
Crypto czar is a newly created position by Trump to promote the development of cryptocurrencies. Responsible for coordinating the federal government’s regulatory policies on cryptocurrencies, has a highly centralized power, and can quickly contact the SEC, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Commerce and other cross-department cooperation to advance the encryption agenda.
David Sacks is a very forward-looking investor and entrepreneur. He expressed his optimism for Bitcoin as early as 2013, when he said on social media: “Bitcoin has the potential to become the next Internet currency, the Internet. I’m buying.” He has been buying Bitcoin since 2012 and has said on multiple occasions that Bitcoin’s transformative nature lies in its potential as a “non-legal tender.” He believes that Bitcoin does not rely on the government, but is backed by mathematics and encryption, providing a financial system independent of government control.
David Sacks is not only a Silicon Valley venture capitalist, but also a member of PayPal’s founding team. He has close ties with Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, both of whom are “PayPal gangs.” David Sacks also worked closely with Musk when he acquired Twitte in 2022.
In 2017, David Sacks founded 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.
Mark T., current acting chairman of the SEC. Uyeda: The war on encryption must end
“The war on encryption must end. We need safe harbors and regulatory sandboxes to give innovation room to develop.” Uyeda said in an interview with Stuart Varney on November 23, 2024.
Previously, he had long opposed the SEC’s use of enforcement actions rather than clear rules under the leadership of former SEC Chairman Gary Gensler, arguing that this approach had a disastrous impact on the development of the industry. He also joined Peirce in opposing the SEC’s rejection of Coinbase’s 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 serving as acting chairman of the SEC, Uyeda quickly moved to announce the establishment of a new “Crypto Task Force” on January 21, 2025, led by SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce to develop a comprehensive and clear regulatory framework for crypto assets.
After taking office, Uyeda immediately nominated another crypto-friendly former SEC commissioner, Paul Atkins, as the SEC’s permanent chairman (although he needed Senate confirmation).
SEC Chairman Paul Atkins: Digital assets are the key innovation that will make America great again
Whether it’s crypto mom Hester Peirce or current acting SEC chairman Mark T. Uyeda, who served as his lawyer on the private team of then-SEC Commissioner Paul Atkins, maintained a long-standing relationship with him.
Paul Atkins was appointed by Trump as chairman of the SEC (acting in place), but still needed final confirmation from the Senate. After being nominated by Trump as permanent chairman of the SEC in January 2025, he stated: “Digital assets are the key innovation that will make America great again. The SEC’s role is to support dynamic and innovative capital markets, not to suppress new technologies with outdated frameworks.”
Atkins is widely seen as a staunch supporter of cryptocurrencies, and he has won broad support from the crypto community, with Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse and Gemini Exchange’s Cameron Winklevoss both publicly praising his nomination, arguing that it will bring “common-sense regulation” to digital assets.
Paul Atkins is also currently CEO of Patomak Global Partners, a company that provides consulting services to the financial and cryptocurrency industries.
Atkins will join other Trump financial officials, such as pro-Bitcoin Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, to form a pro-crypto policy team.
Crypto mom Hester Peirce: DeFi is a testing ground for financial democratization
During Biden’s tenure as U.S. president, Hester Peirce was the most supportive voice in the SEC for cryptocurrency innovation. DeFi is a testing ground for financial democratization, she said.
She made remarks in 2018:”We may be entering a new era where all transactions in financial markets are recorded on blockchain and we should welcome this possibility rather than try to eliminate it.”
Now Hester Peirce has become a key female role in the staff during President Trump, and is known for her openness in the fields of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.
Peirce was appointed to the SEC in 2018 and has expressed support for cryptocurrency innovation multiple times during his tenure.
Responding to the Winklevoss veto of the Bitcoin ETF in 2018, she said: “The SEC’s reasons for rejecting the Bitcoin ETF are untenable. We have deprived investors of their options, but there is no evidence that the market will suffer.”She won the title of “Crypto Mom” in the crypto community for this position for the first time。
Crypto mom Hester Peirce
Peirce’s contributions to cryptocurrencies mainly include: he believes that the SEC’s overly strict supervision has hindered innovation in the cryptocurrency industry. He has repeatedly criticized the SEC for refusing to approve Bitcoin spot ETFs, and advocated providing a clearer regulatory framework for decentralized finance (DeFi).
In 2020, Peirce also proposed a “safe harbor” proposal, which proposed allowing encryption projects to be exempted from strict restrictions under securities laws for three years, so that projects can develop and be decentralized without threats from SEC regulation. Although this proposal was not adopted by the SEC, it sparked widespread discussions within the industry. She is also one of the few members of the SEC who supports Bitcoin ETF listings.
On March 3, 2025, the SEC announced the list of members of the “SEC Cryptography Working Group”, further confirming that Peirce is leading the working group.
CFTC Chairman Brian Quintenz: Bitcoin is a commodity, like gold or oil
“Bitcoin is a commodity, like gold or oil.” said Brian Quintenz, current chairman of the U.S. CFTC.
Brian Quintenz was previously the policy director for a16z’s cryptocurrency division. Today, he is the current chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
Currently, he is regarded as one of the key figures in the Trump administration in promoting cryptocurrency policy.
Brian Quintenz was nominated by President Donald Trump and took office after receiving formal Senate confirmation in February 2025.
Brian Quintenz served as a member of the CFTC from 2017 to 2021, during which time he led the agency’s Technical Advisory Committee and hosted multiple public policy discussions and briefings on cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. He actively advocates “gentle” regulation of cryptocurrencies, emphasizing that innovation should not be stifled while protecting investors.
He has promoted the launch of the first regulated Bitcoin and Ethereum futures contracts on U.S. derivatives exchanges, demonstrating his in-depth understanding and support of the crypto market.
Brian Quintenz supports treating most crypto assets as commodities rather than securities, which is consistent with the jurisdiction of the CFTC. He has publicly questioned the SEC’s position on assets such as Ethereum, arguing that if Ethereum is considered a securities, its futures contracts will be illegal. He pushed for the CFTC as the main regulator of the crypto market to avoid the SEC’s strict framework.
After leaving the CFTC, Brian Quintenz joined the cryptocurrency arm of venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z for short) as a policy director committed to promoting regulatory reforms that benefit the crypto industry.
In terms of personal investment, Brian Quintenz has invested in the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust, demonstrating his confidence in cryptocurrency assets.
At the national level, Brian Quintenz is also an active supporter of cryptocurrencies. “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.” At a summit in March 2025, Brian Quintenz said.
Finance Minister Scott Bessent: Cryptocurrency is about freedom, national crypto reserves are not a dream
“National crypto reserves are not a dream, but a strategy. Bitcoin can enhance the resilience of the U.S. economy.” In January 2025, current Finance Minister Scott Bessent said.
Scott Bessent is an activist cryptocurrency supporter. He had predicted that the price of Bitcoin would reach $980,000. According to the U.S. Office of Government Ethics financial disclosure document released in January 2025, Bessent holds a BlackRock Bitcoin Spot ETF (IBIT) worth between $250,000 and $500,000.
Pictured is Scott Bessent
Bessent has repeatedly publicly expressed his support for cryptocurrencies, especially Bitcoin. 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 cryptoeconomy 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 a market culture in the United States.”
He supported Trump’s idea of establishing a national strategic Bitcoin reserve, believing it could position the United States as a global leader in digital assets.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick: Bitcoin is the economy of the future!
“Bitcoin is the economy of the future!” Current U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick once said in a public speech.
Lutnick is positive about cryptocurrencies and has publicly supported Bitcoin and other digital assets. He compared Bitcoin to gold and advocated its global free trade. In February 2025, Howard Lutnick was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as U.S. Commerce Secretary.
Prior to that, Lutnick served as CEO of financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald, a key partner in Tether (USDT), the world’s largest stablecoin, managing some of Tether’s reserve assets, including U.S. Treasuries.
As CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald,Lutnick actively supports USDT and endorses the legitimacy of its reserves。He pointed out that Canto Fitzgerald, as the main treasury bond trader of the U.S. government, was able to meet large-scale redemption needs and ensure the stability of the TEDA currency.
Lutnick also posted on X: “Tether is the backbone of the cryptoeconomy, and people who question it do not understand modern finance.”
Vice President JD Vance: First presidential candidate to own Bitcoin
The current Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, is the first presidential candidate in U.S. history to own Bitcoin.
Vance has repeatedly viewed Bitcoin as a tool to counter government control of finance. “Bitcoin represents a decentralized future and we need to protect it from bureaucracy,” he said during the 2024 campaign. Although he did not explicitly support Trump’s proposed “national bitcoin reserve” plan, his remarks echoed that vision.
In 2022, when the Canadian government froze the bank accounts of people involved in the Ottawa Truck Driver protests, 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. opportunity.”
According to public disclosure in 2023, Vance holds between US$250,000 and US$500,000 worth of Bitcoin ( BTC ) through Coinbase. After being nominated as a vice presidential candidate, Vance emptied its personal Bitcoin holdings in late July 2024 to avoid potential conflicts of interest. This is consistent with the simultaneous resignation of his wife Usha Vance from the Munger, Tolles Olson law firm, which previously provided legal services to Coinbase.
Like crypto czar David Sacks, Vance’s career in Silicon Valley has built deep connections with pro-crypto technology leaders. In 2019, Vance and PayPal co-founders Peter Thiel, Eric Schmidt and others co-founded venture capital firm Nanya Capital, focusing on technology entrepreneurship in the Midwest.·· He resigned as a partner after being elected to the Senate in 2022, but still holds at least $500,000 in the company.
written in the end
Trump has become the most influential person in the world to influence the ecosystem of the crypto industry.
His radical attitude towards cryptocurrencies comes from Trump’s personal tendencies on the one hand, and from the long-standing attitude of his core team members and his core supporters on cryptocurrencies on the other hand.
In 2013, crypto czar David Sacks began publicly supporting Bitcoin. As a member of PayPal’s founding team, he believed that BTC and PayPal’s original dream were consistent, namely to build 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, and now they are the ones leading the SEC and the CFTC.
When an arrow that has been waiting for seven years shoots towards 2025 and hits the bull’s eye, the potential energy it inspires will continue to expand.
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