U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday said the United States should embrace bitcoin as a strategic asset, citing China’s opposition to the cryptocurrency as a signal of its importance.
Speaking at the Bitcoin Conference in Las Vegas, Vance said the digital asset could play a critical role for the U.S. over the next decade. He voiced support for President Donald Trump’s March executive order that established a strategic bitcoin reserve using tokens already held by the government.
“The People’s Republic of China doesn’t like bitcoin. Well, we should be asking ourselves, why is that?” Vance said. “If the communist Republic of China is leaning away from bitcoin, then maybe the United States ought to be leaning into bitcoin.”
China banned crypto trading and mining in 2021, increasing the strategic divide between Beijing and Washington on digital assets.
Vance’s remarks come as the White House pushes for a revamp of cryptocurrency policy. On his first day in office, Trump ordered the creation of a federal working group to propose regulations for digital assets. In March, he hosted crypto executives at the White House to discuss industry priorities.
Congress is currently considering legislation to regulate stablecoins—cryptocurrencies pegged to the U.S. dollar—and create a broader framework for the digital asset sector. The crypto industry has spent more than $119 million backing pro-crypto candidates in the last election cycle, according to public filings.
Bitcoin has gained renewed political attention under Trump, who has positioned himself as a “crypto president” and has promised to support innovation in the sector.
