Politics August 19, 2026 08:57 AM

Trump to Meet Crypto Executives as U.S. Regulators Move on Token Rules

White House gathering coincides with SEC proposal to exempt some token offerings and CFTC review at industry event

By Hana Yamamoto
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President Donald Trump will host executives from the cryptocurrency sector at the White House as U.S. financial regulators prepare to advance frameworks affecting digital assets. The meeting comes as the SEC proposed rules to exempt certain token offerings from securities laws and the CFTC prepares to discuss crypto regulation at an industry gathering.

Trump to Meet Crypto Executives as U.S. Regulators Move on Token Rules
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Key Points

  • President Trump will host cryptocurrency executives at the White House; the meeting is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon per his official calendar.
  • The SEC proposed rules to exempt certain token offerings from securities regulations, potentially easing fundraising for crypto firms; the CFTC will discuss crypto regulation at an industry event on Thursday.
  • Attendees expected at the White House event include CFTC Chair Mike Selig, SEC Chair Paul Atkins, crypto adviser Patrick Witt, trade groups and representatives from firms such as Coinbase, Ripple, Andreessen Horowitz and Nasdaq.

WASHINGTON, Aug 19 - President Donald Trump is scheduled to welcome leaders from the cryptocurrency industry to the White House on Wednesday, a meeting that aligns with regulatory activity this week aimed at framing how some digital assets will be treated under U.S. law. According to the president's official schedule, Mr. Trump will deliver remarks alongside technology and crypto executives in the afternoon.

Media reports have indicated that crypto company representatives will attend the event, while officials tied to prediction markets were initially expected to join but later were not included, according to an unnamed White House official cited by Semafor. Other outlets also reported planned attendance by executives from the sector. Requests for comment to White House representatives did not receive an immediate response.

The gathering occurs as U.S. regulators this week move forward on rulemaking for certain digital assets. On Tuesday, the Securities and Exchange Commission proposed rules that would create an exemption from securities regulations for some token offerings, a step that would ease the path for crypto firms to issue tokens and raise capital. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has scheduled discussions on crypto regulation and related topics at an industry event on Thursday.

Semafor reported that attendees at the White House meeting are expected to include CFTC Chair Mike Selig, SEC Chair Paul Atkins and crypto adviser Patrick Witt, along with trade association officials and representatives from firms such as Coinbase, Ripple, Andreessen Horowitz and Nasdaq, citing people familiar with the event.

Since returning to office in January 2025, the Republican president has pursued policies perceived as more welcoming to the cryptocurrency sector, particularly through actions at the SEC and the CFTC. Broader, sweeping crypto legislation in Congress, however, has stalled.

The president's financial ties to the sector have drawn scrutiny. Reporting has noted that Mr. Trump has earned more than $1.4 billion from his family's crypto ventures. Polling this week by Reuters/Ipsos found a majority of Americans believe Mr. Trump and his family have inappropriately profited from the crypto sector since his return to power and that his policy choices are influenced by his private business interests, which include World Liberty Financial and the Trump meme coin.

Mr. Trump has said he has had no day-to-day role in his family's business and that his investments are managed independently. The White House has dismissed allegations of impropriety.

Risks

  • Perception of conflict of interest - Polling indicates many Americans believe Trump and his family have inappropriately profited from crypto, which may influence public trust and political scrutiny (impacts political risk and regulatory uncertainty across financial and crypto markets).
  • Regulatory uncertainty - Although the SEC proposed exemptions for some token offerings, broader crypto legislation remains stalled in Congress, leaving legal and compliance risk for crypto firms and investors (impacts capital-raising, legal, and compliance functions in financial and crypto sectors).

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