The former SEC chief's history with tech oversight raises questions about his new role.
By Jesse Hamilton|Edited by Nikhilesh DeUpdated Oct 2, 2026, 1:56 p.m. EDTPublished Oct 2, 2026, 1:12 p.m. EDT3 min readMake preferred on ShareShare this articleCopy linkX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmailMake preferred on Jay Clayton, the potential next U.S. crypto czar, previously led the SEC and was instrumental in its approach to crypto enforcement. (Aaron Schwartz/Getty Images)SummaryShow- Former SEC Chairman Jay Clayton is on track to become the U.S. AI czar.
- During his time at the SEC, he initiated the agency's enforcement strategy in the cryptocurrency sector, including actions against Ripple Labs.
- The new czar position appears to focus solely on AI, unlike the combined role held by David Sacks.
Jay Clayton, who previously chaired the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, is reportedly close to being appointed as the AI czar under the Trump administration, a shift from his past involvement with cryptocurrency regulation.
This new role seems to have a different focus compared to David Sacks, who managed both AI and crypto during his tenure. Should Clayton assume the position, he will primarily oversee the administration's AI initiatives, though the specific responsibilities remain unclear as Trump has been responding to concerns regarding the safety of advanced AI technologies.
Unlike Sacks' dual focus, Clayton's role seems to exclude cryptocurrency, although there are significant intersections between the two fields. Sacks stepped down from his crypto czar position in March, and Patrick Witt has since taken over the White House's crypto agenda.
Clayton, who did not provide a comment to CoinDesk, previously served as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and was appointed this year as Trump's director of national intelligence. His potential leadership in this new technology could be influenced by his previous regulatory experience with digital assets.
Clayton's enforcement-first approach to cryptocurrency regulation began during his SEC chairmanship, which he held after being appointed by Trump. Notably, he initiated the legal action against Ripple Labs just before leaving the SEC in 2020, accusing the company of failing to register approximately $1.3 billion worth of XRP tokens as securities. This case was later halted by current SEC Chairman Paul Atkins, another Trump appointee.
Clayton's tenure at the SEC included the establishment of a "Cyber Unit" in 2017, aimed at overseeing the burgeoning sector. By the time he departed in 2020, the SEC had pursued 57 enforcement actions against various digital asset businesses, ICOs, and blockchain enterprises.
The SEC's focus during Clayton's leadership was on preventing investment fraud linked to digital asset securities and ensuring compliance with federal securities laws, a stance that became contentious under his successor, Gary Gensler.
For context, during his presidency, Trump expressed skepticism towards cryptocurrencies, advocating for stringent regulations. However, he later embraced the digital asset sector, engaging in personal ventures related to NFTs and launching a memecoin while campaigning for the 2024 election.
Currently, the AI czar role appears to be strictly AI-oriented, with the crypto responsibilities likely handled by Witt. Trump previously described the AI Force on his Truth Social platform as akin to the Space Force, indicating his intention to announce an AI czar soon, emphasizing that the individual would possess a "high IQ."
Before returning to public service as a U.S. attorney, Clayton spent time on the board of Apollo Global Management, which has invested heavily in AI and digital infrastructure initiatives.
In a recent interview, Clayton highlighted his view of AI as a national security issue but dismissed the idea of pausing its development, stating, "I don’t think any American should think that that’s a good strategy."