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Trump taps pro-bitcoin Stephen Miran for key economic role

U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has named pro-bitcoin advocate Stephen Miran as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors, an agency which advises Trump on domestic and international economic policy.

Miran’s appointment suggests that the second Trump presidency will be more willing to incorporate crypto into its broader economic vision.

"I am beyond honored that President Trump has chosen me to lead his Council of Economic Advisers," Miran said. "I look forward to working to help implement the president's policy agenda to create a booming, non-inflationary economy that brings prosperity to all Americans!"

"I think that crypto has a big role potentially to play in innovation and ushering in another Trump administration economic boom," Miran said.

Earlier this month, Trump appointed Paul Atkins to the chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), a position that will likely influence crypto policy.

Trump also named David Sacks as the United States’ first AI and crypto czar, indicating that the incoming president intends to make both artificial intelligence and crypto a bigger part of his political and economic portfolio. Ahead of the 2024 election, Sacks hosted a California fundraiser for Trump where tickets ran up to $300,000 a person.

However, there remains some skepticism around the decision to fuse together artificial intelligence and crypto in a single position under Sacks. “Combining AI and crypto under one policy umbrella could either create a wave of innovation or a regulatory nightmare,” Ben Kurland, CEO of DYOR Labs, told TheStreet Crypto earlier this month. “The similarities between decentralized systems and AI-driven solutions has game-changing potential — think autonomous DAOs or decentralized data marketplaces. But let’s not forget that AI and crypto are both disruptive in ways governments don’t fully understand. One-size-fits-all regulation risks stifling both industries. Bold, targeted policies will be the key to unlocking their combined potential.”