Donald Trump Says U.S. Must Protect Crypto Industry as Rivals Try to Catch Up

Highlights:

• Trump said the U.S. must protect crypto because rival countries want to replace it.
• He called America the world’s crypto capital and backed clear “rules of the road.”
• Trump praised CFTC Chairman Mike Selig and supported the agency’s prediction market authority.

President Donald Trump said the United States must protect its crypto industry as other countries try to challenge its lead in digital assets. In a Truth Social post on Tuesday, Trump said America is currently the “Crypto (Bitcoin, etc.) Capital of the World” and warned that other nations are working to replace it.

Trump also backed the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) role in prediction markets. He said it is “critically important” that the CFTC’s exclusive authority over prediction markets remains in place. Prediction markets allow users to trade contracts based on future events, such as elections, sports, economic data, or policy outcomes.

“Under my leadership, we are setting ‘rules of the road’ that are the Gold Standard for the States,” Trump wrote. He added that other countries are also targeting this “new form of Financial Market,” and said the United States wants to stay at the top.

Trump’s comments show that crypto and prediction markets remain part of his wider financial policy agenda. His post also gives strong public support to CFTC Chairman Mike Selig, who has taken a more active role in digital asset and event-contract regulation since taking office.

Source: https://t.co/jsQZttvdlK

— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) May 26, 2026

Trump Praises CFTC Chairman Mike Selig

In the same post, Trump said the crypto industry is now a major part of the U.S. financial system. “It is a major Industry, and we must protect it,” he wrote. He also praised Selig directly, saying, “Mike Selig, CFTC Chairman, and respected by all, is doing a great job. Thank you Mike!”

Selig became the 16th chairman of the CFTC after being sworn in on December 22 last year. The CFTC has become more important in crypto policy because many lawmakers and industry leaders want clearer rules for digital assets. For years, crypto companies have argued that unclear rules pushed innovation outside the United States. A stronger CFTC role could give more structure to parts of the market, especially crypto derivatives, commodities, and prediction markets.

Crypto Policy Becomes a Bigger U.S. Priority

On March 17, the CFTC said it had joined the SEC to clarify how federal securities laws apply to certain crypto assets and transactions. The agency said the move aims to provide the crypto market with clearer rules and to support broader efforts to build a comprehensive U.S. digital asset market structure.

This coordination is important because the SEC and CFTC have often had overlapping roles in crypto oversight. The SEC usually focuses on securities, while the CFTC oversees commodity derivatives markets. Crypto assets can sometimes create confusion because different tokens may fall under different legal categories.

Selig has also spoken about the need to support innovation while giving markets clearer rules. In January, he described crypto as part of the “new frontier of finance” during public remarks at the CFTC.

Remarks of @ChairmanSelig on the Next Phase of Project Crypto: Unleashing Innovation for the New Frontier of Finance. https://t.co/6AUd6GqPHj

— CFTC (@CFTC) January 29, 2026