A high-stakes White House roundtable brings crypto industry leaders together, raising questions about the administration’s stance on digital assets.
The first White House Crypto Summit, hosted by President Donald Trump on March 7, has fueled intense speculation over the potential formation of a US Bitcoin reserve.
The closed-door roundtable, scheduled from 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm UTC, will feature over 25 attendees, including members of the Presidential Working Group on Digital Assets, as reported on X by Fox Business reporter Eleanor Terrett.
White House A.I. & Crypto Czar David Sacks first announced the meeting in a March 1 post on X, stating that “attendees will include prominent founders, CEOs, and investors from the crypto industry.”
The guest list raises concerns among the crypto community
While the full list of participants remains undisclosed, confirmed attendees include Sacks and White House advisor Bo Hines. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has also hinted in an X post about his presence.
The limited guest list has sparked discussions within the crypto community, with many advocating for broader representation.
Industry leaders such as ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, and Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino remain absent from the confirmed attendees, raising concerns over whether the administration’s focus will lean heavily toward Bitcoin rather than the wider digital asset landscape.
Eleanor Terrett also noted in her X post that “a larger, invite-only reception is being planned across the street from the White House after for those not invited to the roundtable meeting.”
The Bitcoin reserve strategy will be presented, but what’s next?
Trump’s Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick, has provided the strongest indication yet that a Bitcoin strategic reserve could become a reality very soon.
Speaking to The Pavlovic Today on March 5, Lutnick stated, “a Bitcoin strategic reserve is something the President’s interested in.”
“He spoke about it all during the campaign trail, and I think you’re going to see it executed on Friday,” he added.
The discussion will also extend beyond Bitcoin, as Lutnick acknowledged the need for a broader framework to handle other digital assets.
“So Bitcoin is one thing, and then the other currencies, the other crypto tokens, I think, will be treated differently—positively, but differently,” he stated.
What’s next after the White House Crypto Summit?
Investors are closely watching the summit for potential regulatory clarity and institutional adoption of digital assets.
If discussions around a Bitcoin reserve progress, it could mark a historic shift in US economic strategy, aligning with countries like El Salvador.
Some expect clearer regulations to encourage institutional investment, while others believe Trump may signal direct government involvement in Bitcoin holdings, driving demand.
However, skeptics caution that without concrete policy commitments, the summit could amount to political posturing.
If implemented, a Bitcoin reserve could legitimize Bitcoin as a key asset and attract institutional capital. Conversely, a lack of action may lead to short-term volatility as markets adjust expectations.
