Patrick Witt, the newly appointed executive director of the President’s Council of Advisers on Digital Assets, has made it clear that the White House is accelerating its efforts to finalise sweeping U.S. cryptocurrency legislation. In his first interview since assuming the role, Witt outlined a bold agenda: pushing forward the Senate’s work on digital asset market structure, ensuring swift implementation of the new stablecoin law and laying the groundwork for a federal Bitcoin reserve.

With the Trump administration’s crypto czar David Sacks overseeing the wider strategy, Witt is expected to be the administration’s key operational figure in crypto policy, taking the reins from his short-tenured predecessor, Bo Hines, who left to join stablecoin giant Tether. Witt’s arrival comes just weeks after the White House released its broad policy roadmap for digital assets, setting the stage for a frenetic legislative and regulatory sprint.

A Fast Start with Big Responsibilities

“There’s no drop off here,” Witt said in an interview with CoinDesk, stressing that his team is keeping “the pedal to the metal” on both legislative and interagency initiatives. Elevated last month, Witt’s appointment ensures continuity in the administration’s crypto agenda at a time when Washington is grappling with the most comprehensive policy debates yet on digital assets.

His immediate challenge is guiding the Senate’s draft legislation on crypto market structure through the political and procedural hurdles ahead. The draft, recently circulated by the Senate Banking Committee, has already undergone significant revisions, which Witt said had been met with “generally positive” reception. Still, bipartisan consensus remains crucial, with at least a handful of Democrats needed to meet the 60-vote threshold in the Senate.

“We’re listening to all parties in the space,” Witt said, underscoring his aim of ensuring that the final bill can move “the ball forward” while also being aligned enough with the House version, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act to avoid protracted disputes.

Market Structure and Legislative Push

The market structure bill is seen by many in Washington as the central pillar of U.S. crypto regulation, building on the narrower success of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act. While the GENIUS Act created a legal framework for stablecoins, Witt admitted that it only addressed “a relatively small portion of the overall crypto market.”

“This bill addresses the remaining 80% of it,” he said. “So this one’s huge, and we want to make sure that we don’t drop the ball, that we get it done.”

President Donald Trump

Despite missing the initial August deadline set by President Trump, Witt insists momentum has not slowed. His office is in regular contact with both the Banking Committee and the Senate Agriculture Committee, each tasked with shaping parts of the legislation. Both panels must finalise their drafts, incorporate member input, and pass them onto the Senate floor before a decisive vote can be held.

Witt also voiced confidence that the final Senate product will be one that the House can approve without further delays, mirroring the bipartisan success of the GENIUS Act.

The Bitcoin Strategic Reserve

Beyond legislation, one of the most ambitious and controversial initiatives on the administration’s crypto agenda is the creation of a federal Bitcoin Strategic Reserve. Championed directly by President Trump, the reserve would hold government-seized bitcoin as a long-term investment, with the potential for expansion into other cryptocurrencies.

“It is a top priority for me, personally, for this office, for the administration,” Witt said. However, he acknowledged that the project is still in its early stages, with “novel legal questions” needing resolution. The administration also seeks explicit legislative backing to formalise the reserve in law, which Witt said his team is working toward.

So far, the reserve will be seeded with bitcoin seized by law enforcement agencies, though Witt hinted at “creative ways” the government could accumulate more using existing authorities. Details on these methods remain closely guarded, but the very idea of the U.S. government actively building a bitcoin stockpile underscores how far crypto has moved from the fringes of finance into mainstream policy.

Addressing Concerns and Conflicts

The White House’s deepening involvement in crypto has not escaped criticism. Democrats in Congress have repeatedly raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest, pointing to President Trump’s reported multibillion-dollar stakes in the industry. Critics argue that Trump’s personal financial ties to crypto compromise his ability to pursue unbiased policy.

Witt, however, dismissed such claims outright. “It’s like saying any private citizen has a conflict when we strengthen America’s economy,” he argued. “This is a win for America. It’s not a win for any particular group of individuals.”

This line mirrors the stance of his predecessor, Hines and reflects the administration’s strategy of framing crypto not just as an industry issue but as a national economic imperative.

From the Field to the Policy Arena

Witt brings a markedly different profile to the role than Hines. A former Yale Bulldogs quarterback, he later worked at McKinsey & Co. before joining the Trump administration in various capacities, including the Office of Personnel Management and the Department of Defense, where he served as deputy undersecretary. His blend of private-sector consulting experience and government service is expected to help him navigate both bureaucratic resistance and political scrutiny.

“I know what that’s like from the agencies,” he said of his federal experience. “So hopefully I can bring a good perspective to what’s achievable there and how to approach it in the right way.”

This insider background could prove especially useful in implementing the GENIUS Act, where coordination across multiple regulators will be crucial.

The Road Ahead

As Witt prepares to speak at CoinDesk’s Policy and Regulation event in Washington, D.C., his message is clear: the administration sees crypto as too important to delay. With the GENIUS Act already law and the Bitcoin reserve in motion, the market structure bill looms as the defining test of the White House’s ability to shape a coherent national framework for digital assets.

The stakes are high. For the industry, the bill could bring long-sought regulatory clarity, unlocking new investment and innovation. For the administration, it represents an opportunity to solidify its pro-crypto legacy ahead of what is sure to be a closely watched election cycle.