White House to Appoint Crypto-Native Banking Expert as OCC Chief

The White House is set to appoint Jonathan Gould, a former Bitfury executive, to lead the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), according to reports from Politico and Punchbowl News. Gould, currently a partner at Jones Day, previously served as Bitfury’s chief legal officer and worked at BlackRock. He also held the position of senior deputy comptroller and chief counsel at the OCC.

If confirmed, Gould will oversee the regulation of major national banks, a move signaling the administration’s growing embrace of crypto-native professionals in financial oversight.

This appointment aligns with the Trump administration’s trend of selecting tech- and crypto-friendly figures for key regulatory roles. On Tuesday, it was also reported that former CFTC commissioner Brian Quintenz has been nominated to return as the agency’s chief. Quintenz, who currently leads crypto policy at Andreessen Horowitz’s a16z, is expected to bring a more favorable stance toward digital assets.

President Trump has publicly supported the AI and crypto sectors, securing financial backing from key industry leaders. His administration’s approach suggests a regulatory shift toward fostering innovation in blockchain and fintech.

Meanwhile, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has launched a crypto task force aimed at cleaning up previous regulatory missteps. Commissioner Hester Peirce recently criticized the SEC’s handling of crypto under President Biden, emphasizing the need for clearer, more effective regulations.

With crypto adoption expanding, these leadership changes could shape the future of U.S. financial regulation, potentially fostering a more crypto-friendly environment.