Jonathan Gould has been nominated by US President Donald Trump to head the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the federal agency overseeing national banks.
The OCC supervises major banks in the US, including institutions like JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America. Its goal is to ensure the safety and stability of the banking system.
The White House formally sent Gould’s nomination to the Senate on February 11, and if it were approved, he would serve a five-year term in the role.
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Gould has a background in both banking regulation and the crypto industry. He is currently a partner at Jones Day, a law firm, and previously worked as chief legal officer at Bitfury, a blockchain company. From 2018 to 2021, he held a senior role at the OCC during Trump’s first term. Before that, he spent four years as a director at BlackRock.
The crypto industry has responded positively to Gould’s nomination. Electric Capital co-founder Avichal Garg supported the nomination, calling it a positive step for fintech and crypto companies seeking better access to banking services.
Garg added that Gould is in favor of fair banking policies for crypto firms and opposes "Operation Chokepoint 2.0", a term used by the crypto industry to describe alleged efforts to limit their access to banks under the Biden administration.
Additionally, Blockchain Association CEO Kristin Smith said on X that he is a strong candidate for the role, noting that his experience in crypto makes him well-suited to lead the agency.
Meanwhile, Congressman Tom Emmer was recently named vice chair of the House Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology, and Artificial Intelligence. How did he respond to the nomination? Read the full story.
