Washington, D.C. — In a significant shakeup to U.S. digital asset policy, Bo Hines, the White House’s leading adviser on cryptocurrency regulation, has announced his departure. After serving since January as Executive Director of the President’s Council of Advisers on Digital Assets, Hines says he is heading back to the private sector, leaving a critical policy role wide open.
Since taking office, Hines has met with crypto industry leaders, led interagency talks on stablecoin oversight, and helped craft a regulatory framework that shaped America’s stance on digital assets.
According to journalist Eleanor Terrett, Patrick Witt, the council’s Deputy Director, will serve as acting head, though the White House has yet to officially confirm this or announce a permanent replacement.
Public affairs attorney Andrew Rossow warns that the decision is pivotal:
“How Witt — or any appointee — engages with lawmakers and international partners could either strengthen America’s blockchain leadership or weaken it as other regions speed ahead with regulatory clarity.”
During his tenure, Hines collaborated closely with President Donald Trump and AI & crypto czar David Sacks, calling the role “the honor of a lifetime” in his farewell X post. He credited the crypto community for its “unwavering support” and pledged to remain an advocate for the sector’s growth in the U.S.
Notable achievements include championing the GENIUS Act, establishing federal oversight for dollar-backed stablecoins, and leading the administration’s most comprehensive digital asset policy report to date — although it notably omitted plans for a national Bitcoin reserve.
Opinions on the future are divided. Ray Song, founder of liquid staking protocol aPriori, believes a crypto-friendly successor could “accelerate policy momentum,” while Hillary Adler, co-founder of BitcoinOS, stresses the need for a “loyalist executor” aligned with the president’s crypto vision.
For now, the council continues its work — but the identity and ideology of the next White House crypto chief could define America’s role in the global blockchain race for years to come.
