Trump taps ex-blockchain exec to lead OCC amid regulatory shifts

Former blockchain executive Jonathan Gould has been appointed by President Donald Trump to lead the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC).

Gould, who previously served as chief legal officer at Bitfury and held the position of senior deputy comptroller and chief counsel at the OCC, is expected to bring his crypto expertise to the forefront of banking regulation.

Ron Hammond, senior director of government relations at the Blockchain Association, praised the selection, stating that Gould is in a "prime position to hit the ground running." He also suggested that Gould is likely to follow in the footsteps of former Acting Comptroller Brian Brooks, who briefly served as CEO of Binance.US, indicating a continued crypto-friendly stance at the agency.

The OCC, responsible for regulating and supervising national banks and federal savings associations, could see significant crypto-related legislative engagement under Gould’s leadership. According to Hammond, Gould’s background in cryptocurrency positions the OCC to effectively collaborate with Congress on upcoming legislation concerning stablecoins and market structure.

According to The Block, the appointment of Jonathan Gould is part of a broader trend by President Trump to install crypto-friendly regulators in key federal agencies. Paul Atkins has been selected to chair the Securities and Exchange Commission, while Brian Quintenz of a16z crypto is planned to be nominated to lead the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

In addition to these appointments, President Trump has proposed a consolidation of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) with the OCC under the Treasury Department. This proposal was reported by The Wall Street Journal amidst other regulatory changes.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has also seen recent shifts in leadership, with Russell Vought, acting head of the CFPB, directing a halt to all supervision, examination, and enforcement actions over the weekend.

Jonathan McKernan, who departed from the FDIC this week, was nominated on Tuesday to lead the CFPB. McKernan’s background includes roles as counsel to former Senator Pat Toomey and as a senior policy advisor at the Department of the Treasury.

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