Trump Signs Crypto Ethics Rule, Puts DOJ in Charge

The U.S. government is tightening ethics safeguards around public officials’ involvement in digital assets, an area that can raise concerns about conflicts of interest, influence peddling and the use of public office to promote privately issued tokens. A ban on federal officials creating cryptocurrencies is intended to protect market confidence and preserve the perceived independence of government oversight.

President Donald Trump has signed a new ethics provision explicitly prohibiting federal government officials from issuing cryptocurrencies and assigning the U.S. Department of Justice to lead oversight and enforcement. The available event details do not specify the signing date, financial thresholds or penalties. Attention will now turn to how the DOJ defines prohibited issuance and what investigative or enforcement procedures it adopts.