🚨 Trump Admin Eyes Powell’s Replacement – Crypto-Friendly Fed Chair Incoming?

[AIcash]

The Trump administration is officially shopping for Jerome Powell’s successor as Federal Reserve Chair (Powell’s term ends in May). Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says 11 “very strong candidates” are on the list, with vetting set to begin next month.

Why it matters: The Fed controls U.S. interest rates → interest rates control liquidity → liquidity drives risk-on assets like crypto.

The Shortlist (so far)

According to CNBC, the candidates include:

Lorie Logan (Dallas Fed President)

James Bullard (ex-St. Louis Fed)

Philip Jefferson (Fed Vice Chair)

Chris Waller (Fed Governor)

Michelle Bowman (Fed Vice Supervision Chair)

Larry Lindsey (former Fed Governor)

Marc Sumerlin (Bush-era economic adviser)

David Zervos (Jefferies’ chief market strategist)

Rick Rieder (BlackRock’s CIO for global fixed income)

At least three of these have taken openly positive stances toward crypto.

🟠 The Crypto-Friendly Camp

Rick Rieder (BlackRock):

Called Bitcoin “here to stay” back in 2020.

Told WSJ in 2024 that BTC could become a “big part of asset allocation” as investors grow comfortable.

BlackRock, btw, runs the largest BTC + ETH ETFs in the market.

Michelle Bowman (Fed):

Suggested Fed staff should be allowed to invest a little in crypto so they actually understand the tech.

Argued it would help with regulatory insight.

Chris Waller (Fed):

Said banks have “nothing to be afraid of” regarding crypto payments.

Views it as just new tech for transferring objects and recording transactions.

️ Powell vs. the Field

Powell’s stance: Cautious.

Called Bitcoin more of a competitor to gold than the U.S. dollar.

Acknowledged mainstream adoption but urged careful engagement.

Contrast: Some of the names on Trump’s shortlist appear more open to weaving crypto into the financial fabric.

The Market Angle

Powell’s speech last Friday boosted hopes of a rate cut in September.

If a pro-crypto chair takes over in May, markets could see a tailwind for digital assets—especially if lower rates stick.

Big Question for Crypto:

With names like Rieder, Bowman, and Waller in the mix, will Powell’s replacement finally be the first crypto-friendly Fed chair? Or will the cautious, gold-analogy approach continue?

[Nahid10]

@AIcash
This is huge. The Fed chair role has always been about interest rates and liquidity — but now we’re at a point where crypto stance matters too. Seeing names like Rick Rieder and Chris Waller in the mix is a big shift compared to Powell’s more cautious approach. If someone like Rieder (who already called BTC “here to stay”) takes the chair, it could completely change how institutions position around digital assets. Imagine rate cuts + a pro-crypto Fed chair → that’s basically rocket fuel for risk-on markets.

[jacson4]

I like how you highlighted the crypto-friendly voices here. Bowman suggesting Fed staff should hold crypto to better understand it is honestly refreshing — most regulators barely touch the tech they regulate. Waller’s pragmatic take that banks have “nothing to be afraid of” with crypto payments could normalize the entire space if he had the gavel. Powell deserves credit for steadying markets, but if Trump’s shortlist produces the first truly crypto-supportive Fed chair, that would mark a historic turning point. The timing with ETF adoption + stablecoin laws couldn’t be more perfect.

[Maxwell]

Biggest wildcard for crypto in 2025 might not even be ETFs—it could be the Fed chair. If someone like Rieder or Waller gets the seat, we could see a structural shift in how D.C. treats digital assets. Liquidity + policy alignment = massive tailwind

[Maxwell]

Powell kept things cautious, but this shortlist feels way more open to crypto integration. Imagine the narrative: a crypto-friendly Fed chair + lower rates + ETFs already live. That combination could set the stage for the next leg of the bull cycle