President-elect Joe Biden is said to be considering cryptocurrency friend Andrew Yang as future Secretary of Commerce.
According to a CNN report, "Based on conversations with allies and advisors of Biden and Democrats familiar with the matter," the president-elect may nominate Yang, a former presidential candidate and entrepreneur, for a position in his cabinet.
Yang was considered by many to be one of the most pro-cryptocurrency presidential candidates. He said he wanted to implement blockchain-based mobile voting and outlined plans to regulate the cryptocurrency industry. The former presidential candidate is known for his remarkable campaign promise of giving $ 1,000 a month to every adult in the United States.
Since ending his campaign in February, Yang has talked about his potential participation in the Biden government. In an August interview on The Carlos Watson Show, Yang said he had spoken to then-candidate Biden about “a new position that did not yet exist […] on technology and innovation,” but did not directly answer questions about the commerce secretary's role. He also helped launch a non-profit organization that aims to protect privacy online.
As Secretary of Commerce, Yang will represent American companies in the Biden government. Lawmakers have already proposed bills requiring outgoing Secretary Wilbur Ross to study blockchain technology and report to Congress on his findings, responsibilities that appear to be passed on to Yang.
Biden had already appointed Janet Yellen to act as Treasury secretary and he took advantage of former CFTC chairman Gary Gensler to volunteer on the transition team as a financial expert. The president-elect announced plans to fill several positions in his administration today after the release of millions of dollars in transitional funding yesterday. If chosen and confirmed, the appointment of Andrew Yang as Secretary of Commerce could be a step towards more pro-cryptocurrency views in the US government.
Yang is currently in Georgia to assist Democratic candidates John Usoff and Raphael Warnock in the US Senate run-off.
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