David Sacks has stepped down from his role as the White House’s AI and Crypto Czar formally Special Advisor for AI and Crypto after serving roughly 130 days.
He announced this in a Bloomberg Television interview on March 26, 2026, citing the expiration of his term as a special government employee (SGE). Federal rules limit SGEs to 130 days of work in a 12-month period. His tenure ran from the start of the Trump administration in January 2025 until late March 2026.
Transition to a New Advisory Role
Sacks is transitioning as co-chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). This is a federal advisory committee of industry and academic experts that provides policy recommendations to the White House on a broad range of science and technology issues.
White House officials and Sacks have described this as an expansion of his influence rather than a demotion. He will continue advising on AI and crypto matters while weighing in on wider tech policy. One senior adviser noted that Sacks will “always be his crypto and AI czar” in spirit, but the new role lets him address a broader portfolio without the SGE time constraints.
President Trump named Sacks; a venture capitalist, former PayPal executive, and PayPal Mafia member as AI & Crypto Czar in December 2024. The role focused on building a legal/regulatory framework for crypto, promoting U.S. leadership in AI and digital assets, and related policy efforts like market structure legislation like aspects of the CLARITY Act or GENIUS Act.
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Sacks helped advance pro-crypto and pro-AI initiatives, including divestment of over $200 million in related holdings for ethics compliance. However, some key legislation remains unresolved in Congress as he departs the formal czar post. Crypto markets showed some dips amid uncertainty about ongoing policy momentum though Sacks’ continued advisory involvement has tempered concerns for many observers.
This move aligns with how some high-profile private-sector appointees rotate into less time-constrained advisory bodies while staying involved. Sacks retains significant influence through PCAST and his ongoing ties to the administration’s tech agenda. No successor for the specific Czar title has been prominently named; the formal special advisor role appears to have ended with his departure.
Sacks played a central role in the passage and implementation of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act in July 2025. This landmark bill created a federal regulatory framework for USD-pegged stablecoins under Federal Reserve oversight. It aimed to bolster U.S. dollar dominance globally, enable yield-bearing stablecoins, and integrate them into traditional finance.
Sacks and the administration touted it as a foundational step toward making the U.S. the crypto capital of the world. He advanced efforts on broader market structure bills often referenced as the CLARITY Act or similar proposals, coordinating a bicameral congressional working group with leaders from Senate Banking, House Financial Services, and Agriculture Committees.
By early 2026, a Senate panel had advanced key measures, with Sacks declaring the U.S. one step closer to comprehensive clarity. While full enactment was still pending at his departure, his work laid groundwork for resolving long-standing regulatory uncertainty. As chair of the President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets, Sacks oversaw a comprehensive 166-page report.
It outlined a new pro-crypto approach, including modernizing anti-money laundering rules, prioritizing rulemaking over enforcement, and rejecting a central bank digital currency (CBDC). This marked a clear break from prior administration policies. Sacks supported and helped implement the March 2025 executive order establishing a U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a broader Digital Asset Stockpile for other seized cryptocurrencies. This positioned crypto as a national strategic asset and signaled government adoption.
Sacks consistently framed his work around ending the war on crypto, fostering innovation onshore, and integrating crypto with traditional banking into a unified digital assets industry. He participated in high-profile events like the Crypto Ball and Capitol Hill press conferences alongside congressional leaders to build bipartisan momentum.
Industry observers described these as monumental wins and remarkable progress in a compressed timeframe, with Sacks credited for quickly identifying and addressing regulatory bottlenecks. Sacks’ role was advisory and focused on coordination rather than unilateral authority; many initiatives required congressional action.
Key market structure legislation remained unresolved upon his exit, leading some to note unfinished business amid industry divisions. However, his tenure accelerated a pro-crypto policy shift that boosted market sentiment and set the stage for ongoing efforts. In his Bloomberg interview announcing the transition to co-chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).
Sacks’ achievements centered on delivering early regulatory clarity, stablecoin legislation, and symbolic national reserves—foundational steps toward Trump’s vision of U.S. crypto dominance—while navigating ethical constraints and short-term limits. These moves were widely seen as a net positive for the industry, even as longer-term legislation continues to evolve.