In a private Florida gathering at Mar-a-Lago, lawmakers, industry executives, and crypto leaders converged to discuss the policy terrain shaping the United States’ approach to digital assets. The forum, organized by World Liberty Financial—the company led by Donald Trump’s two eldest sons—put a spotlight on how Washington plans to regulate markets, custody, and the evolving landscape of tokenized assets. In the lead-up to the event, World Liberty’s WLFI token surged more than 23%, trading around $0.12 after topping $466 million in volume over the prior 24 hours. The gathering drew co-founders Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, BitGo co-founder and CEO Mike Belshe, and CFTC Chair Michael Selig, among others, signaling a melding of political influence and entrepreneurial crypto interests.

The setting—a private club forum rather than a public hearing—did not keep the subject from the spotlight. Participants were slated to address a broad array of policy issues central to the crypto economy, from market structure and regulation to concerns about stablecoin yields and the oversight framework for digital assets. As lawmakers debate a comprehensive digital asset market structure bill, Selig is scheduled to engage with New York Stock Exchange President Lynn Martin to discuss provisions that would clarify how the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission oversee the space.

While the guest list underscored bipartisan interest in crypto policy, President Trump himself was not listed as a participant as of Wednesday morning. The event nonetheless underscored the president’s family’s ongoing entanglement with crypto ventures, a dynamic that has drawn scrutiny and speculation from observers and policymakers alike. It comes at a moment when several Democratic senators are pushing to ensure that the market structure bill includes robust safeguards around conflicts of interest for lawmakers and officials who stand to benefit from crypto industry activity while in office. The push reflects a broader debate about how to align regulatory clarity with accountability in a fast-moving sector.

The conversation happened against a broader policy backdrop. In January, the Senate Agriculture Committee—responsible for CFTC oversight—advanced its version of the market structure bill along partisan lines, with no Democrats voting in favor. Separately, the Senate Banking Committee postponed its markup after Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong raised concerns about tokenized equities and decentralized finance within the bill’s framework. The tension between promoting innovation and establishing guardrails remains a central feature of the policy discourse surrounding digital assets.

Beyond policy specifics, the forum touched on a wider narrative: the growing convergence of politics and crypto finance. Media coverage has highlighted the rising fortunes tied to crypto projects associated with the Trump family; Bloomberg reporters have cited substantial revenue tied to crypto ventures since 2025. In 2019, Trump himself characterized Bitcoin as “not a fan” and described the cryptocurrency as a “scam” after stepping away from office, a stance that has since given way to a more active, albeit cautious, engagement with the asset class in various public and private channels.

Key takeaways

World Liberty Financial’s WLFI token jumped about 23% ahead of the forum, reaching roughly $0.12 amid a 24-hour trading volume above $466 million, signaling notable market attention around the event.
The attendee roster blended political figures with crypto executives, including Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Coinbase’s Brian Armstrong, BitGo’s Mike Belshe, and CFTC Chair Michael Selig, underscoring the policy-business nexus in the space.
The gathering occurred as the US contemplates a comprehensive digital asset market structure bill; policymakers discussed how the CFTC and SEC should oversee digital assets, with Selig engaging NYSE President Lynn Martin on bill provisions.
Democratic lawmakers are pressing for amendments to address conflicts of interest among public officials profiting from crypto, highlighting governance concerns amid bills still under consideration.
Public narratives around Trump’s crypto involvement—contrasted with his past comments about Bitcoin—illustrate the evolving political calculus around crypto ventures and regulation.

Tickers mentioned: $BTC

Price impact: Positive. WLFI’s 23% surge ahead of the forum reflects market anticipation around policy developments and the profile of attendees.

Market context: The event sits within a broader regulatory debate about how the US should supervise digital assets, with ongoing discussions over market structure, stablecoin governance, and the boundaries between innovation and investor protection in a rapidly evolving space.

Why it matters

The dynamic at Mar-a-Lago illustrates how policy, politics, and market activity are increasingly interwoven in crypto. For investors, the WLFI price move signals that markets are listening to policy signals and that high-profile policy conversations can move tokenized assets and related markets in the short term. For builders and issuers, the discussions spotlight the priority of clear, implementable regulations that reduce ambiguity for product development, token structures, and custody arrangements, while preserving room for innovation.

For policymakers, the event underscores the challenge of balancing competitive US leadership in digital finance with robust safeguards. The push from some senators to tighten conflicts-of-interest provisions signals a demand for greater accountability as the sector grows more entwined with political actors and public policy. The dialogue around how to adjudicate tokenized assets, stablecoins, and prediction markets remains unsettled, but the cross-party interest in clarifying oversight points to a longer, structured path toward regulatory clarity.

In a broader sense, the gathering reflects a sector-wide trend toward closer collaboration between industry veterans and policymakers, a development that could shape the pace and direction of future legislation. The intersection of family-led business ventures, public policy, and major exchanges adds a layer of visibility that may influence investor sentiment, regulatory expectations, and the strategic decisions of market participants in the months ahead.

What to watch next

Follow the progression of the market structure bill in the Senate, including any markup dates and committee votes.
Track statements or amendments from lawmakers on conflicts-of-interest provisions for officials in crypto-related roles.
Monitor updates from the CFTC and SEC on supervisory approaches to digital assets, including any new guidance on tokenized products or stablecoins.
Observe WLFI’s trading activity and any official updates from World Liberty Financial regarding the token’s supply and use cases.
Watch for additional disclosures from figures involved in the forum and any resulting policy white papers or draft legislation.

Sources & verification

World Liberty Financial’s X post announcing the event and attendees: https://x.com/worldlibertyfi/status/2024129983162048855
Democrats file amendments to crypto market structure bill: https://cointelegraph.com/news/democrats-file-amendments-crypto-market-structure
CFTC Chair Michael Selig’s remarks on prediction markets: https://cointelegraph.com/news/cftc-michael-selig-defending-prediction-markets
Bloomberg feature on Trump family crypto involvement: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2026-01-20/donald-trump-family-net-worth-increasingly-comes-from-crypto
Trump’s past Bitcoin stance and related coverage: https://cointelegraph.com/news/trump-bitcoin-u-turn-critic-became-pump-signal

Key figures and next steps: policy momentum at a private crypto forum

The gathering at Mar-a-Lago illustrates how the policy conversation has moved from abstract debate to a more concrete, event-driven engagement among policymakers, executives, and investors. As the US continues to refine its approach to market structure, custody, and the oversight of digital assets, the interplay between political action and market dynamics will likely intensify. Observers will be watching not only the outcomes of committee discussions and potential amendments but also how market participants respond to the evolving regulatory signals that emerge from such high-profile, private interlocutors.