Top Fed Official Wants Staff to Own Crypto – Here’s Why
Federal Reserve officials may soon be debating whether their own employees should be allowed to hold digital assets.
Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman told an audience in Wyoming that regulators risk misunderstanding blockchain if their staff remain entirely shut out of the market.
The Fed banned employees and their families from owning cryptocurrencies or related investment products in 2022, after public scrutiny over unusual stock trades by senior policymakers during the pandemic.
Bowman now argues those rules go too far, making it harder to recruit skilled examiners and leaving staff with only a theoretical grasp of how crypto works. She suggested limited ownership would give them practical knowledge of how wallets, transfers, and custody operate.
Bowman’s remarks also carried a broader message: regulators, in her view, need to be less defensive about new financial technologies.
She warned that innovation will reshape the banking system whether traditional institutions like the Fed adapt or not. By engaging directly, she said, the central bank could design safeguards that encourage efficiency and stability rather than letting the industry evolve outside the regulatory perimeter.
The timing reflects a shift in Washington’s tone. Under President Donald Trump, officials have struck a more favorable stance toward digital assets. The Fed recently scrapped a Biden-era oversight program that singled out banks experimenting with blockchain, and Trump himself signed an executive order calling for investigations into alleged discrimination against crypto firms.
For Bowman, the takeaway is clear: the central bank cannot remain a bystander. “You can’t understand skiing without putting on skis,” she quipped, underscoring her belief that direct experience is the only way to build credible oversight of emerging technologies.
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Alexander Zdravkov is a market analyst and crypto journalist with interests in economics, broader financial markets and digital assets. His journey into crypto began more than four years ago, driven by a fascination with the rapid evolution of blockchain technology and the transformative potential of decentralized finance. He began analyzing market cycles and identifying emerging trends before they reach the mainstream. He holds a degree in International Relations - a background that helped shape his broader perspective on global economics, geopolitics, and the interconnected nature of modern financial markets. Whether covering the latest developments in the crypto sector or exploring broader macroeconomic themes, Alexander focuses on giving readers context rather than simply repeating headlines. During his career, he has authored more than 10,000 articles covering cryptocurrencies, traditional finance, and global market developments. His work spans everything from Bitcoin and altcoins to macroeconomic trends influencing risk assets worldwide.
