US President Donald Trump has nominated Jonathan Gould, former executive of crypto firm Bitfury, to head the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. The nomination was submitted to the Senate on February 11 and awaits confirmation.
Jonathan Gould's Nomination
Jonathan Gould, who previously served as the chief legal officer at Bitfury, is set to become the Comptroller of the Currency for a five-year term. He also held roles as the senior deputy comptroller and chief counsel for the OCC from 2018 to 2021 during Trump's first administration.
Reaction to the Nomination
Kristin Smith, CEO of the Blockchain Association, stated that Gould is an excellent choice for the role due to his tenure in the crypto industry. Electric Capital co-founder Avichal Garg noted that Gould's nomination is favorable for fintech and crypto founders seeking better access to financial services.
Crypto Initiatives and Appointments
It is known that the Trump administration is considering merging the FDIC with the OCC. Trump has also recently nominated Brian Quintenz to chair the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and John Hurley as the Treasury's undersecretary for terrorism and financial crimes.
The nomination of Jonathan Gould, along with other candidates experienced in the crypto industry, underscores the Trump administration's interest in integrating cryptocurrencies into the US financial system.
