The secret Trump crypto plan is finally being unveiled. You thought Teflon Don was only a benevolent force for digital assets? What a laugh.
Washington is testing a new frontier in crypto regulation. Under the GENIUS Act, passed in July, the Treasury explores whether DeFi protocols should carry built-in identity checks at the smart contract level. It’s an approach pitched as a weapon against illicit finance but seen by critics as an assault on the foundations of permissionless code.
Experts Explain: How ID-Embedded Smart Contracts Would Work
Under the framework, DeFi protocols could be required to verify a user’s government ID, biometric credential, or wallet certificate before transactions are executed. That would effectively hard-code Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) rules into DeFi.
“Real-time monitoring for suspicious activity can make it easier for platforms to mitigate risk, detect and ultimately prevent money launderers from using their networks,” said Fraser Mitchell, Chief Product Officer at AML provider SmartSearch.
Critics warn the opposite outcome: “On paper, it looks like a neat compliance shortcut. But you turn a neutral, permissionless infrastructure into one where government-approved identity credentials gate access,” said Mamadou Kwidjim Toure, CEO of Ubuntu Tribe.
DISCOVER: 20+ Next Crypto to Explode in 2025
Is Trump Crypto ID Plans Focused on Privacy or Compliance?
As it stands, supporters argue this could legitimize DeFi and attract more institutional adoption. Opponents counter that embedding IDs directly in wallets could kill pseudonymity, enable government surveillance, and even pave the way for automated tax collection. Two words: Not good.
Another concern is who gets left behind. Roughly a billion people globally still lack a formal ID. Migrants, refugees, and the unbanked are especially at risk.
DISCOVER: Next 1000X Crypto: 10+ Crypto Tokens That Can Hit 1000x in 2025
What Comes Next For ID Checks in US Crypto?
According to recent DeFi Llama figures, DeFi total value locked (TVL) sits near $95 billion, with lending protocols like Aave and MakerDAO still leading flows.
Embedding identity checks could drastically alter these flows. Compliance-first protocols might see a surge in institutional deposits, while “pure” permissionless platforms could face liquidity flight if users balk at surveillance.
For now, the debate underscores a deeper question: is DeFi meant to be a regulated market extension of traditional finance, or a parallel system built on privacy and autonomy?
Join The 99Bitcoins News Discord Here For The Latest Market Updates
Key Takeaways
- The secret Trump crypto plan is finally being unveiled. You thought Teflon Don was only a benevolent force for digital assets? What a laugh.
- According to recent DeFi Llama figures, DeFi total value locked (TVL) sits near $95 billion.
Why you can trust 99Bitcoins
Established in 2013, 99Bitcoin’s team members have been crypto experts since Bitcoin’s Early days.
Weekly Research
100k+Monthly readers
Expert contributors
2000+Crypto Projects Reviewed
