tl;dr
Bo Hines, the White House’s top crypto policy adviser and Executive Director of the President's Council of Advisers on Digital Assets since January, is leaving to return to the private sector. Patrick Witt, the council’s Deputy Director, is expected to succeed him, though no official announcement ha...
The White House’s top crypto policy adviser, Bo Hines, announced his departure to return to the private sector, sparking speculation about his successor. Since January, Hines has served as Executive Director of the President's Council of Advisers on Digital Assets, guiding industry consultations and shaping the administration’s digital-asset policy framework. Patrick Witt, the council’s Deputy Director, is reportedly poised to take over, though no official confirmation has been made.
The council’s operations are expected to continue smoothly during the transition, but the timing for a formal replacement remains undisclosed. Experts emphasize the new appointee’s role in maintaining U.S. leadership in blockchain policy, especially as other regions advance their regulatory clarity. Andrew Rossow, a public affairs attorney, highlighted the high stakes, noting that the next director’s responsiveness to lawmakers and international partners will be pivotal for sustaining or enhancing America’s position in the crypto space.
Bo Hines described his tenure as the “honor of a lifetime,” reflecting on key accomplishments such as coordinating stablecoin oversight, fostering interagency discussions, and overseeing a seminal policy framework for digital assets. He credited the council’s work with helping pass the GENIUS Act, which set a regulatory foundation for dollar-backed stablecoins, and acknowledged the broad support received from the crypto community. Despite progress, some notable areas like the establishment of a national Bitcoin reserve were omitted from the policy report.
Industry voices express mixed outlooks on the upcoming appointment. Ray Song, founder of the liquid staking protocol aPriori, suggested that a pro-crypto leader could accelerate existing positive momentum, while a less experienced choice might undermine past gains. At the same time, Hillary Adler from BitcoinOS underscored the turbulent nature of positions tied to the Trump administration, stressing the necessity for the next adviser to align philosophically with Trump’s crypto policies and act as a loyal executor to ensure longevity in the role.