Prominent figures in the cryptocurrency space, legislators, and a presidential advisor convened for a roundtable on Wednesday morning in the elegant ballroom of the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C., with the aim of venting complaints and discussing future directions.
Sheila Warren, CEO of the Crypto Council for Innovation, stated that the meeting’s goal was to have an open discussion with the Biden administration as a group. The meeting was hosted by Representative Ro Khanna, D-Calif.
Prominent attendees comprised multibillionaire investor Mark Cuban, CEO of Ripple Brad Garlinghouse, and Coinbase Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Representative Joe Neguse (D-Colo.) attended in their capacities, as did Anita Dunn, a senior assistant to President Biden.
The CEO of the Crypto Council for Innovation (CCI), Sheila Warren, reported that many attendees felt better after the talk than they had before. This was a positive outcome of the gathering.
As the election draws near, Republican front-runner Donald Trump pledges to halt “Joe Biden’s crusade to crush crypto.” He also supports the cryptocurrency industry. In the meantime, Biden’s reelection team is changing its earlier negative position by asking the cryptocurrency sector for advice on digital asset regulations.
Sheila Warren highlighted the importance of Anita Dunn’s presence saying, “She was very engaged, actively notetaking, all of that kind of stuff. For a government official at that level to be that engaged for over an hour … that is pretty amazing and unusual.”
According to Warren, the subjects covered included debanking, the Securities and Exchange Commission’s actions, and the staff accounting bulletin of the organization about the custody of digital assets.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse expressed his hope that the meeting was a “first step in moving from words to actual action,” adding that he was also present.
“Unfortunately, the majority of Dems continue to enable Gensler’s unlawful war on crypto – sabotaging the ability for American innovation to thrive,” Garlinghouse stated. “It’s no wonder the GOP has announced a pro-crypto stance. Gensler will go down as the Luddite of his time. Words are easy, action is hard but necessary. Choose wisely. Voters are paying attention.”
Paul Grewal, a chief legal officer of Coinbase, emphasized the crypto industry’s call for Biden administration engagement.
“It was largely a listen-and-learn dynamic,” Grewal stated. “Ms. Dunn took over an hour of her time to sit with 30 or 40 of us and patiently listened, asked questions and expressed real commitment to continuing this dialogue as opposed to just thanking us for our time and sending us out the door.”
Grewal emphasized the crypto industry’s push for White House support of legislation over litigation, highlighting the bipartisan passage of FIT21 in the House. He stressed the administration’s pivotal role in backing these efforts for regulatory clarity and growth.
Mark Cuban expressed optimism about Democrats’ potential policy shifts following a meeting organized by Ro Khanna. CCI’s Warren emphasized the crypto industry’s need for strong, unequivocal support from the administration, advocating for clear recognition of the industry’s importance and technological potential.
