Blanche Nomination Vote Sparks Crypto Market Concerns Over Regulatory Overhang
The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee is set to vote on Tuesday to advance Todd Blanche's nomination as Attorney General, a move closely watched by the crypto community.
Blanche, a former personal defense attorney for Trump and current acting AG, has been associated with a pro-crypto DOJ posture, particularly in his 'Ending Regulation by Prosecution' memo issued in April 2025, which disbanded the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET) and shifted focus from regulatory non-compliance to actual fraud, terrorism financing, and cartel activity.
A Blanche confirmation could ease bipartisan concerns over enforcement credibility, but a stall keeps regulatory overhang alive for Bitcoin, XRP, and institutional ETF flows. The CLARITY Act ethics package designates DOJ as the sole enforcer of restrictions on crypto-involved officials.
The vote is crucial not only for Blanche's nomination but also for the stalled CLARITY Act, which has seen its passage odds cut to 30% by Galaxy Research. A Senate hold on the act is partly entangled with Republican disputes slowing down Blanche's confirmation.