NEW YORK — President Donald Trump dropped a video into a crypto event on Thursday, amping up his pro-crypto sentiment with an assertion that crypto will spark economic growth, though he didn’t offer any of the new policies attendees had hoped he might announce.
Crypto is “as big as you can get,” he said during a brief pre-taped speech at the Digital Asset Summit in Manhattan. His remarks were met by a standing room-only crowd, as he praised crypto, continuing a goodwill tour that has netted him financial and electoral support from the crypto industry.
“Pioneers like you will be able to improve our banking and payment system and promote greater privacy, safety, security and wealth for American consumers and businesses alike,” he said. “You will unleash an explosion of economic growth.”
Trump noted that his administration has already stopped selling seized bitcoin and has brought together industry leaders with his government’s officials.
“We’re ending the last administration’s regulatory war on crypto and Bitcoin, and that includes stopping the lawless Operation Choke Point. Operation Choke Point went beyond regulation, and I mean far beyond. Frankly, it was a disgrace,” he said in what was his second appearance at a crypto conference, after a live campaign stop at Bitcoin Nashville in 2024. “But as of January 2025, all of that is over.”
Trump has already signed two executive orders tied to digital assets since taking office for his second term on Jan. 20, after previously creating a working group for digital assets and establishing a Bitcoin reserve using previously seized assets.
Speculation ahead of Thursday’s speech centered on whether he would address debanking or crypto taxes, possibly with a new executive order. Ultimately, he did not announce any new actions, instead reiterating what his administration has already done.
“It’s an honor to speak with you about how the United States is going to dominate crypto and the next generation of financial technologies,” he said. “And it’s not going to be easy, but we’re way ahead.”
Trump has courted the crypto industry over the past year. Since taking office, he’s continued showing his support for the industry, both through his executive actions and through his regulators’ efforts to roll back actions brought under the previous administration of Joe Biden.
UPDATE (March 20, 2025, 15:30 UTC): Adds additional detail.