White House Team Is Monitoring Cryptocurrencies, Says Press Secretary

The Trump administration has said it is keeping an eye on cryptocurrencies like bitcoin in the wake of its recent explosive price jumps.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said during a press briefing session on Thursday that bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are "something that is being monitored by our team."

In response to a reporter's question on whether the U.S. government is planning for cryptocurrency regulations, Sanders mentioned that there is no specific announcement on the topic right now. She added that the topic had been brought up in a meeting earlier this week by Tom Bossert, a member of the Homeland Security team.

She continued:

The comments follow remarks by the White House to CoinDesk earlier this year, in which representatives revealed they are exploring blockchain technology as a way to improve U.S. government operations.

Comments made in March by Mark Calabria, chief economist to Vice President Mike Pence, indicated at the time that there is enthusiasm within the Trump White House toward blockchain, hinting that progress toward adoption could be seen in the coming years.

Sarah Sanders image via Shutterstock