This Friday, Donald Trump is hosting a Crypto Summit at the White House, bringing together some of the biggest names in the industry. The meeting will focus on crypto regulations, its impact on financial markets, and even possible tax breaks for crypto investors.
But there’s one major issue—Ethereum doesn’t have a clear representative at the table.
Who’s Invited?
Fox Business reporter Eleanor Terret shared a list of confirmed attendees, including:
- Michael Saylor (MicroStrategy)
- David Bailey (Bitcoin Magazine)
- Brian Armstrong (Coinbase)
- Vlad Tenev (Robinhood)
- Arjun Sethi (Kraken)
- Sergey Nazarov (Chainlink)
There will be about 20-25 participants in a roundtable discussion. The topics will likely include:
✅ How crypto affects the economy
✅ U.S. regulations on digital assets
✅ Potential tax incentives for crypto transactions
One of the biggest rumors? The Trump administration might eliminate capital gains tax on crypto sales, which would be a massive deal for investors.
Where’s Ethereum?
Even though several of the companies attending are connected to Ethereum, no one from the Ethereum Foundation or its core development team is officially invited.
Crypto analyst Sassal pointed out that some of the confirmed guests are actively building on Ethereum:
- World Liberty Finance runs on Ethereum’s main blockchain
- Coinbase created its Layer-2 network Base on Ethereum
- Robinhood is working with Arbitrum (an Ethereum-based scaling solution)
- Kraken is developing Ink, an Ethereum-based Layer-2 network
So technically, Ethereum has some representation, but it’s indirect. Many in the crypto community believe there should be a dedicated Ethereum representative, like someone from the Ethereum Foundation or a core developer.
Ethereum researcher Danny Ryan even volunteered, saying:
“I think I could do an excellent job representing Ethereum’s interests. Put me in.”
Why Isn’t Vitalik Buterin Invited?
One big name missing from the list is Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin. Some speculate that his Russian-Canadian background might be a factor, given the current political tensions between the U.S. and Russia. But so far, Buterin hasn’t said anything about the summit.
The White House’s Love-Hate Relationship with Crypto
This isn’t the first time the U.S. government has discussed crypto. In March 2022, President Joe Biden signed an executive order asking federal agencies to study crypto regulations. Meanwhile, lawmakers like Senator Cynthia Lummis have been pushing for clearer laws around digital assets.
Trump, on the other hand, was once very anti-crypto. Back in 2019, he tweeted: “I am not a fan of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.” But now, with this summit and the possibility of tax breaks for crypto traders, his stance seems to be shifting.
Ethereum’s Market Reaction
Even with concerns over its lack of direct representation at the summit, Ethereum’s price has been climbing. As of today, ETH is up more than 4% in the last 24 hours, trading at $2,177, according to BeInCrypto.
There’s still a chance more names will be added to the guest list before Friday. Will Ethereum get a stronger voice in the discussion? We’ll have to wait and see.
