Bitcoin Soars on White House Meeting Amid Regulatory Hopes
Bitcoin rose by 5.5% to 3:07 p.m. ET on August 19, 2026, following a meeting between President Donald Trump and executives from Coinbase Global, Payward, and Blockchain.com at the White House.
The meeting included SEC Chair Paul Atkins, CFTC Chair Mike Selig, and White House crypto advisor Patrick Witt, who met with industry leaders to discuss potential rule changes favorable to the industry. The Clarity Act, a proposed law that would provide a legal framework for the crypto market, is currently stalled in the Senate.
Despite this setback, regulatory bodies can still act independently of Congress. Yesterday, the SEC proposed a rule change that is seen as beneficial to the industry, and today's meeting may lead to similar action from the CFTC.
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