David Sacks, one of the most influential voices for the crypto industry in Washington, officially stepped down from his role as the White House advisor on artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency on March 26, 2026. The reason, he exhausted the 130-day limit for special government employees (SGE). He is now transitioning to co-chair the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).
130 Days That Reshaped US Crypto Policy
When Donald Trump appointed David Sacks as "crypto czar" in late 2025, the industry saw it as a turning point. The prominent venture capitalist, PayPal co-founder, and Craft Ventures partner was given a mandate to shape federal strategy on digital assets and artificial intelligence.
During his tenure, Sacks achieved what the crypto community had been waiting for years. Bitcoin officially gained strategic asset status at the US government level. Back in March 2025, Trump signed an executive order establishing the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, seeded with confiscated coins. Sacks later hinted at the possibility of expanding the reserve through "budget-neutral" strategies.
GENIUS Act - the First Major Crypto Law
The top legislative achievement of Sacks' tenure was the GENIUS Act - the first US federal law regulating payment stablecoins. Congress passed it in July 2025, creating a legal framework for stablecoin issuers, including USDT by Tether and USDC by Circle.
The law established requirements for reserves, audits, and licensing of issuers, providing the market with legal certainty. It marked the first tangible step toward integrating cryptocurrencies into the traditional financial system at the federal legislative level.
CLARITY Act - the Unfinished Mission
However, Sacks' most ambitious project - the CLARITY Act, a market structure bill that would split oversight between the SEC and CFTC, never crossed the finish line. The House passed it with bipartisan support, but it stalled in the Senate Banking Committee over several contentious issues.
Key disputes include regulating DeFi protocols and ethics rules around whether senior officials can personally hold crypto assets. Recently, Senators Thom Tillis and Angela Alsobrooks reached a compromise on stablecoin yields, clearing one hurdle, with a committee markup now targeted for the second half of April 2026.
PCAST - a New Role and New Faces
Rather than fully departing Washington, Sacks transitioned to co-chair PCAST - the President's advisory body on science and technology. He will be joined by Michael Kratsios, former chief technology officer of the administration.
The council's composition proves the seriousness of the administration's intentions: PCAST members include Marc Andreessen (Andreessen Horowitz), Jensen Huang (NVIDIA), Lisa Su (AMD), Mark Zuckerberg (Meta), and Fred Ehrsam - an early Coinbase backer. This role gives Sacks broader influence across areas from AI and quantum computing to nuclear energy.
What's Next for the Crypto Industry
Sacks' departure creates uncertainty around the pace of crypto reforms in Washington. Without a "crypto czar" at the White House, the industry's lobbying efforts may slow down, and the CLARITY Act could remain in limbo for months.
Nevertheless, the presence of Sacks and crypto investors on PCAST signals that the Trump administration has no intention of retreating from its proactive stance on digital assets. The coming weeks will reveal whether Congress can finalize the CLARITY Act without a permanent crypto lobbyist in the White House.
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