DOJ Disbands Crypto Enforcement Unit Under Trump Administration

The Justice Department shifts focus to prosecuting fraud and criminal misuse of digital assets, following President Trump’s executive order to ease crypto regulations.

The National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET), established in 2022, has been disbanded effective immediately, per a memo from Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
The Justice Department will no longer target regulatory violations by crypto exchanges, mixers, and wallets, redirecting efforts to serious crimes like fraud, terrorism, and human trafficking.
This policy change aligns with Trump’s January executive order promoting a crypto-friendly regulatory environment and limiting enforcement to criminal misuse of digital assets.
Blanche criticized the Biden administration’s approach, calling it a ‘reckless strategy of regulation by prosecution’ that improperly used the DOJ to enforce regulatory frameworks.
The move is part of broader Trump administration efforts to position the U.S. as a global leader in cryptocurrency, including creating a strategic Bitcoin reserve and easing financial oversight.