"Hardliner" Maxine Waters officially announces her candidacy for the Chair of the Financial Services Committee, signaling a potential major shift in U.S. cryptocurrency regulation

U.S. California Democratic Representative Maxine Waters officially announced her candidacy for the chair of the House Financial Services Committee and outlined her policy agenda in a letter to Democratic members. It is reported that the Democrats will decide on key committee positions in the coming weeks.

In the cryptocurrency sector, Maxine Waters proposed to establish "strict but fair regulatory rules" for compliant cryptocurrency businesses and to strengthen scrutiny of the digital asset industry. She also plans to promote legislation that enables the financial system and economy to better respond to the impacts brought by AI, and to focus on the regulation of the private equity industry, consumer fees, credit reporting, and reforms in housing mortgage financing.

Maxine Waters has served as the Democratic chief member of the House Financial Services Committee since 2013. Additionally, Illinois Democratic Representative Sean Casten has also announced his candidacy for the committee chair, with his policy agenda similarly addressing emerging risks brought by cryptocurrency, prediction markets, and artificial intelligence, and proposing to strengthen oversight of corporate and consumer fraud.