Hassett's Coinbase Stake Raises Conflict Questions Amid Trump Crypto Push

Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council under President Donald Trump, held between $1 million and $5 million worth of shares in Coinbase at the end of 2025. The investment was reported as vested Coinbase shares on his annual financial disclosure filing.

Hassett advised Coinbase from 2021 until January 2025, before joining the White House. He said he had not sold the shares because he didn't want to create the appearance that he was timing a sale, and he received guidance from 'the ethics people' on what needed to be done.

As NEC director, Hassett led the President's Working Group on Digital Asset Markets, which proposed sweeping regulatory changes to digital-asset markets. However, Hassett claimed he had recused himself from any matter related to crypto, and the White House said his recusal continues.

Ethics expert Virginia Canter questioned whether Hassett's Coinbase stake created a potential conflict of interest or the appearance of one. She noted that if Hassett's recusal extended broadly across crypto, it could have sidelined him from major parts of his job, including coordinating economic policy across agencies.