Trump Hosts Crypto Leaders at White House and Calls for CLARITY Act

Highlights:

• Trump urged Congress to pass the CLARITY Act as the White House gathered crypto and finance leaders.
• CFTC and SEC leaders backed clearer crypto rules, stronger investment, and more digital asset growth in America.
• Trump also highlighted the Bitcoin Reserve, GENIUS Act, Hyperliquid talks, and recent crypto regulatory progress.

President Donald Trump called on Congress to pass the CLARITY Act during a White House meeting with major crypto, finance and technology leaders. The meeting focused on crypto regulation, financial innovation and the administration’s plan to keep digital asset businesses in the United States.

Trump delivered the speech on August 19, one day before the CFTC’s first Innovation Advisory Committee meeting in Washington on August 20. He said the White House had brought together some of the country’s leading figures in finance, crypto and technology ahead of the CFTC meeting.

CFTC Chair Michael Selig and SEC Chair Paul Atkins attended the event. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev and Kraken co-CEO Arjun Sethi also joined the meeting. Leaders from Nasdaq, Intercontinental Exchange, Chainlink and other companies were present as well.

🔥JUST IN: Coinbase CEO tells the White House crypto summit the September 15 CLARITY Act vote is "the most important" thing next.

Armstrong says the bill would make this administration's crypto progress "durable for decades and decades to come." pic.twitter.com/Ll9rah4zXh

— Coin Bureau (@coinbureau) August 19, 2026

Trump Calls for Clear U.S. Crypto Rules

Trump said the United States needs clear rules for crypto companies and other financial technology businesses. He argued that clear regulation would allow companies to build and operate in the country instead of moving overseas. “We’re focused on creating a clear regulatory framework for pioneers and builders like the people that are with me here, so that they can do business with confidence on American soil,” Trump said.

He also said the administration wants the United States to lead in Bitcoin, crypto, prediction markets and artificial intelligence. Trump then highlighted several crypto policies introduced under his administration. He pointed to the U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, the Digital Asset Stockpile, Project Crypto and the GENIUS Act. The GENIUS Act created a federal framework for dollar-backed stablecoins.

However, Trump said Congress still needs to take another major step. He called on lawmakers to pass what he described as a “fair version” of the CLARITY Act. The bill aims to create clearer rules for the U.S. digital asset market and define the roles of major financial regulators. Trump said the legislation could keep the United States ahead of other countries and support another wave of financial innovation. “It will open the door to the next wave of innovations and innovators,” Trump said.

CFTC and SEC Outline Their Crypto Plans

CFTC Chair Michael Selig spoke after Trump and backed the push for clearer financial rules. Selig said the United States must decide whether it wants to shape the rules for future financial markets or allow other countries to do so first. “We can either write the rules that define the next generation of financial markets, or we can let other countries write them for us,” Selig said.

He also said the CFTC would continue moving Trump’s financial innovation agenda forward while Congress works on broader crypto legislation. Selig linked clear regulation with stronger investment and business growth. “Innovation depends on regulatory clarity. Clear rules create confidence. Confidence attracts investment and investment creates jobs, strengthens our markets, and keeps the world’s best talent building here in America”, he added.

SEC Chair Paul Atkins also discussed the agency’s latest crypto proposal. The SEC proposed Regulation Crypto Assets on August 18, one day before the White House meeting. Atkins said the proposal would give crypto companies a clearer way to raise capital in the United States through digital assets. He also said the SEC continues to support congressional work on the CLARITY Act.

“Our proposal, the crypto assets rule, would provide crypto entrepreneurs like those here in this room and job creators the certainty to raise capital in the United States using digital assets,” Atkins said.

Crypto Leaders Support Further Regulatory Progress

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong also spoke during the meeting. He praised the administration’s recent crypto policies and said the CLARITY Act could make those changes more durable. Armstrong pointed to the GENIUS Act, the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and the SEC’s new crypto fundraising proposal as signs of regulatory progress. He said passing market structure legislation would give the industry stronger long-term rules.

Trump also briefly discussed Hyperliquid. He said CFTC Chair Selig is working on a legal and compliant path to bring the platform into the United States. “I understand that Mike is also working to bring Hyperliquid into the United States in a fully compliant and legal fashion,” Trump said. He did not announce final approval for Hyperliquid or give a U.S. launch date.

The White House meeting showed that crypto policy remains a major focus for the administration. Trump used the event to push Congress toward broader market rules, while the SEC and CFTC outlined their own work on digital assets. The next focus now moves to the CFTC Innovation Advisory Committee meeting and further congressional work on the CLARITY Act.

Crypto prices are also moving higher as investors digest Trump’s latest remarks. At the time of writing, Bitcoin was trading near $69,798, up about 8.65% over the past 24 hours. Hyperliquid’s HYPE token also recorded stronger gains, trading around $71.83, up approximately 23.24% in 24 hours.