US Senior Democrat Raises Concerns on Tougher Crypto Rules

by Felipe Erazo
  • Wyden has held a seat in Congress since 1996.
  • He's the chair of the Senate finance committee.
US

Ron Wyden, a US Democrat Senator from Oregon and one of the most influential members of Congress in the country, has warned that a tough stance on cryptos could be unhealthy for the booming industry.

The congressman asked his colleagues to protect crypto innovators despite accusations of the industry being friendly with money laundering and fraud.

“There is obviously a debate [about stricter regulation ], but I want to be on the side of the innovator. When I think about crypto, I think about remittances, or somebody who has a kid 1,000 miles away and wants to get them help in an emergency, rather than going through scores of banks, credit card companies,” Wyden told the Financial Times in an interview.

He added that he strives for innovations and will always be on that side. “That’s where my heart lies,” Wyden commented. The Senator is currently the chair of the Senate finance committee and one of the proponents of the US internet regulation.

Last year, Gary Gensler, the Chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), expressed his views about Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency assets in a discussion with the House Committee on Financial Services. Gensler stated that the US will not completely follow China’s lead in banning cryptocurrencies .

He pointed out at that time that any decision regarding a crypto ban would be up to Congress. “Our approach is really quite different,” Gensler said in the latest discussion.

China Crypto Crackdown

In 2021, China imposed a ban on all crypto-related activities, including mining. However, despite the reason that the US cryptocurrency ecosystem is still uncertain about the potential regulations in the region, the overall adoption has increased sharply in the last few months.

Four of Wyden’s colleagues recently wrote to Janet Yellen, the US Treasury Secretary, expressing their concerns about cryptocurrencies being used to bypass international sanctions.

Ron Wyden, a US Democrat Senator from Oregon and one of the most influential members of Congress in the country, has warned that a tough stance on cryptos could be unhealthy for the booming industry.

The congressman asked his colleagues to protect crypto innovators despite accusations of the industry being friendly with money laundering and fraud.

“There is obviously a debate [about stricter regulation ], but I want to be on the side of the innovator. When I think about crypto, I think about remittances, or somebody who has a kid 1,000 miles away and wants to get them help in an emergency, rather than going through scores of banks, credit card companies,” Wyden told the Financial Times in an interview.

He added that he strives for innovations and will always be on that side. “That’s where my heart lies,” Wyden commented. The Senator is currently the chair of the Senate finance committee and one of the proponents of the US internet regulation.

Last year, Gary Gensler, the Chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), expressed his views about Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency assets in a discussion with the House Committee on Financial Services. Gensler stated that the US will not completely follow China’s lead in banning cryptocurrencies .

He pointed out at that time that any decision regarding a crypto ban would be up to Congress. “Our approach is really quite different,” Gensler said in the latest discussion.

China Crypto Crackdown

In 2021, China imposed a ban on all crypto-related activities, including mining. However, despite the reason that the US cryptocurrency ecosystem is still uncertain about the potential regulations in the region, the overall adoption has increased sharply in the last few months.

Four of Wyden’s colleagues recently wrote to Janet Yellen, the US Treasury Secretary, expressing their concerns about cryptocurrencies being used to bypass international sanctions.

About the Author: Felipe Erazo
Felipe Erazo
  • 1036 Articles
  • 41 Followers
About the Author: Felipe Erazo
Felipe earned a degree in journalism at the University of Chile with the highest honour in the overall ranking, and he also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Communication. In addition, he has been working as a freelance writer and Forex/crypto analyst, with experience gained from several forex broker firms and crypto-related media outlets around the world. He has been involved in the world of online forex trading since 2010 and in the crypto sphere since 2015.
  • 1036 Articles
  • 41 Followers

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