NEW YORK —

With the U.S. government’s help, the crypto industry will become a dominant force in finance, U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday.

Crypto is “as big as you can get,” he stated during a five-minute taped speech at the Digital Asset Summit in Manhattan, where he was met by a full room of attendees—many of whom entered just before his speech and left immediately afterward.

“Pioneers like you will be able to improve our banking and payment system and promote greater privacy, safety, security, and wealth for American consumers and businesses alike,” Trump said. “You will unleash an explosion of economic growth.”

He noted that his administration has already stopped selling seized Bitcoin and brought together industry leaders with government officials. Many of his remarks echoed statements from a summit at the White House earlier this month.

“We’re ending the last administration’s regulatory war on crypto and Bitcoin, and that includes stopping the lawless Operation Choke Point. Operation Choke Point went beyond regulation, and I mean far beyond. Frankly, it was a disgrace,” he said in his second appearance at a crypto conference, following a campaign stop at Bitcoin Nashville in 2024. “But as of January 2025, all of that is over.”

Trump has already signed two executive orders related to digital assets since taking office for his second term on Jan. 20. He had previously established a working group for digital assets and created a Bitcoin reserve using previously seized assets.

Speculation ahead of Thursday’s speech included rumors that his order would address crypto debanking or crypto taxes; however, he did not announce new actions and instead reiterated what his administration has already done.

“It’s an honor to speak with you about how the United States is going to dominate crypto and the next generation of financial technologies,” he said. “And it’s not going to be easy, but we’re way ahead.”

Trump has courted the crypto industry over the past year, particularly since his 2024 presidential campaign began. He continues to show support for the industry through executive actions and moves to roll back measures implemented by former President Joe Biden.