What seems to be a full reversal on a previously hostile Bitcoin stance is tempered by Mnuchin, who added that he still wouldn’t buy BTC himself.
‘It’s fine’ to buy Bitcoin as gold substitute, says Trump ex-Treasury Secretary MnuchinMARKETS NEWS
Bitcoin (BTC) may be a “scam” for former United States President Donald Trump, but the former Treasury Secretary appears to have made a U-turn on the world’s first and best-known cryptocurrency.
Speaking to CNBC on Wednesday, Steven Mnuchin confirmed that his perspective on Bitcoin had “evolved.”
Mnuchin: Bitcoin stance has “evolved a little”
The Trump administration was known for its dismissive tone on Bitcoin in public, and those hoping for endorsement from Trump were ultimately left disappointed.
Mnuchin himself was less than inclined to offer support during his Treasury tenure, but his most recent comments reveal a clear softening of his stance.
“I think my view has evolved a little bit, but it is pretty consistent,” he told the network.
“The first part of it is I think the underlying technology of blockchain is really incredible and has lots of different things, particularly in fintech and finance. I think as it relates to Bitcoin — if people want to buy Bitcoin as a subsititute, no different from buying gold or some other asset — it’s fine.”
Gold (blue) vs. BTC/USD (orange) performance since 2020. Source: TradingView
Mnuchin added that he “would not want to have” Bitcoin in is his portfolio but stressed that he was not against others adopting it.
Continuing, he expressed a desire for Bitcoin to have “complete BSA and regulatory compliance.”
“As a matter of fact, under the OCC last year, we approved that banks could custodian it, and the reason we did that is because we wanted to make sure that this was becoming in the regulated world.”
His words garnered praise from Bitcoin circles, with Saifedean Ammous, author of The Bitcoin Standard, calling the changes “nice to see.”
Bitcoin still has few political allies
Mnuchin’s perspective now sounds increasingly at odds with that of Trump’s, who last month flatly called Bitcoin a “scam” in an episode that ultimately failed to impact market sentiment.
Related: Biden nominee for Treasury Dept will prioritize crypto regulation
The picture under current President Joe Biden, meanwhile, has yet to offer much to Bitcoin proponents. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has voiced concerns about cryptocurrency more widely, and senior politicians are at odds over how to address it.
It is not just a U.S. predicament — El Salvador passing a Bitcoin legal tender law in June drew adverse reactions from global financial bodies including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
The law, which enters into effect in September, is so far without comparison anywhere in the world. Paraguay, which presented a regulatory bill on Bitcoin this week, has not revealed plans to adopt a “Bitcoin standard.”
A new legal initiative in Australia wants to allow DAO project governors to contract with other legal entities through DeFi tools.
Australian digital finance industry wants to legally recognize DAOsNEWS
Specialists and lawyers focused on decentralized finance (DeFi) are launching an initiative to create a new type of legal entity in Australia representing decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs).
The country’s Digital Law Association and global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills are lobbying an Australian Senate committee to formally recognize new decentralized models for corporate governance. These new DAO models would replace the board of directors with an internet community, the Australian Financial Review reported Thursday.
The initiative specifically intends to allow “DAO Limited” project governors to contract with other legal entities through DeFi tools, implementing blockchain technology to remove traditional intermediaries like banks and exchanges. Limited liability status will also prevent Australian members of a DAO from being liable for losses incurred by decisions made by a member of the community.
According to the lawyers, legalizing DAOs in Australia could make the country more attractive for global digital asset businesses, as groups of local DeFi entrepreneurs reportedly shift offshore to jurisdictions like Singapore and Germany.