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Strategy CEO Proposes Regulatory Reforms for US Crypto Industry


TLDR

  • Michael Saylor met with the SEC’s Crypto Task Force to discuss regulatory reforms under the new Trump administration
  • He proposed reducing costs for crypto companies by capping asset-issuing expenses at 1% and limiting maintenance costs to 10 basis points per year
  • Saylor presented a Bitcoin reserve plan that could generate between $16-81 trillion in wealth for the US Treasury to address the national debt
  • The SEC is relaxing its stance on crypto, dropping cases against Coinbase and abandoning an investigation into Robinhood
  • Saylor’s “Digital Assets Framework” categorizes digital assets into six classes to provide regulatory clarity

Michael Saylor, Executive Chairman of Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy), met with the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Crypto Task Force last Friday to discuss regulatory reforms and propose a Bitcoin reserve plan that could help address the US national debt crisis.

The meeting comes as the SEC begins to soften its approach toward cryptocurrency under President Donald Trump’s administration and acting chair Mark Uyeda. This shift represents a major change from the agency’s previous enforcement-focused strategy that had created uncertainty in the digital asset industry.

During the meeting, Saylor presented several ideas aimed at supporting innovation in the crypto space while protecting investors’ rights. He proposed concrete measures to reduce financial burdens on companies launching new tokens and investment products in the United States.

One of Saylor’s key suggestions was to cap asset-issuing expenses at 1% of a business’s assets under management. He also recommended limiting the cost of maintaining asset listings to just 10 basis points (0.1%) per year. These measures would make it less expensive for crypto companies to operate in the US market.

Saylor stressed the need for federal regulators to establish clear definitions for different types of digital assets. His “Digital Assets Framework,” which he first introduced on social media in December 2024, categorizes digital assets into six classes: Digital Commodities, Digital Securities, Digital Currencies, Digital Tokens, Digital NFTs, and Digital ABTs.

Under this framework, Bitcoin is classified as a Digital Commodity, representing decentralized assets not tied to any specific issuer. Other categories include tokenized equity or debt (Digital Securities), stablecoins pegged to fiat currencies (Digital Currencies), fungible utility tokens (Digital Tokens), unique digital art or intellectual property (Digital NFTs), and tokens tied to physical commodities (Digital ABTs).

Bitcoin and the National Debt

Perhaps the most ambitious part of Saylor’s presentation was his Bitcoin reserve plan. The proposal outlines how the US government could generate between $16 trillion and $81 trillion in wealth for the US Treasury by acquiring approximately 20% of Bitcoin’s total circulation.

This plan aims to address the national debt, which has reached $36.2 trillion as of February 5, 2025. The debt consists of $28.9 trillion in public debt and $7.3 trillion in intergovernmental debt. By establishing a Bitcoin reserve, Saylor suggests the US could maintain a dominant position in the global digital economy while addressing its fiscal challenges.

The SEC’s Crypto Task Force, led by Commissioner Hester Pierce, was created in January 2025 shortly after President Trump’s inauguration. The initiative aims to foster collaboration between crypto firms and regulators to develop guidelines for the US digital assets industry.

Since its formation, the task force has met with several major players in the crypto industry. Just last Thursday, representatives from digital trading platform Robinhood spoke with members of the Commission’s new crypto committee. The following day, approximately 20 members of the Crypto Council for Innovation, including Coinbase and OpenSea, also met with the SEC Crypto Task Force.

The SEC has already shown signs of its new approach by dropping legal complaints against major crypto firms. Earlier this month, the Commission announced it was abandoning its case against trading platform Coinbase. Shortly afterward, the agency also ended an investigation into Robinhood’s crypto trading arm.

These moves have fueled speculation that regulators might soon drop enforcement actions against other digital asset companies, such as Ripple Labs. The shift marks a dramatic change in the regulatory landscape for cryptocurrency in the United States.

Saylor has been a prominent figure in the US crypto scene for many years, advocating for industry support at the highest levels of government. Last month, he met with President Trump’s son, Eric, at Mar-a-Lago in Florida to discuss the future of Bitcoin in the US. The self-described “Bitcoin maxi” has publicly supported the establishment of a US Bitcoin reserve for several months.

In addition to his regulatory advocacy, Saylor continues to deepen his company’s commitment to Bitcoin investment. Strategy recently announced plans to raise $2 billion through zero-coupon convertible bonds, with the proceeds to be used to add to its already vast Bitcoin holdings. The company describes itself as a “Bitcoin Treasury company,” highlighting its focus on cryptocurrency investment.

The task force’s work represents an acknowledgment by the SEC that its previous enforcement-focused approach had limitations. By engaging with industry stakeholders like Saylor, the Commission is seeking to develop a regulatory framework that balances innovation with investor protection.

As the regulatory landscape evolves under the new administration, Saylor’s proposals represent one vision for how the United States might embrace cryptocurrency while addressing broader economic challenges.



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