Oct 18, 2026, 2:30 p.m. EDT
2 min read
Patrick Witt, the Executive Director of the President’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets at the White House, is stepping down from his government post to re-enter the private sector. Where does this leave the council?
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White House opening?
The narrative
At present, the White House lacks a publicly designated crypto chief. Patrick Witt, the most recent advisor to President Donald Trump, announced his departure last week, and no replacement has been announced yet.
Why it matters
Although Washington’s attention is largely directed toward next month’s midterm elections, the executive branch continues working on regulations and other digital asset policy initiatives. Furthermore, next year after a new Congress takes office, any legislative actions regarding crypto will still require a liaison at the White House.
Breaking it down
Jesse Hamilton from CoinDesk examines the apparent vacancies for a White House crypto advisor in this analysis from last week.
An official at the White House informed him that Trump remains committed to prioritizing cryptocurrency and the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act.
However, following the exits of Witt, along with previous departures like Harry Jung and Bo Hines, questions arise regarding what that priority entails. Throughout 2027, the White House must navigate a renewed push for crypto legislation—which likely incorporates tax measures prior to market structure reform—a potentially adverse congressional chamber if Democrats take control of the House of Representatives, and ongoing rulemaking initiatives by agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and the broader Treasury Department.
This week
This week
- We are not monitoring any hearings this week.
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Originally published at https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2026/10/18/the-white-house-s-crypto-chief-departs-state-of-crypto.
