Inside Trump’s Decision to Pardon Ross Ulbricht, the Creator of the Silk Road Drug Marketplace

Published On Jan 22, 2025, 8:06 PM

Donald Trump granted a pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road website, who was sentenced to life for drug distribution. This decision came after lobbying efforts from libertarian supporters and was partly motivated by Trump's desire to win over libertarian voters. Ulbricht's pardon reflects the influence of special interest groups in political decision-making, particularly in the context of Trump's interactions with libertarian figures.

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The pardon of Ross Ulbricht may boost interest in cryptocurrencies, particularly Bitcoin, as Ulbricht is seen as a figurehead in the crypto movement. This could lead to increased trading activity and a positive sentiment towards crypto-related stocks as investors may perceive this as a signal of growing acceptance of cryptocurrency in mainstream politics.

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Top Republican officials at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission are poised to begin overhauling the agency's cryptocurrency policies potentially as early as next week when President-elect Donald Trump takes power, said three people briefed on the matter. Among the measures commissioners Hester Peirce and Mark Uyeda are weighing are initiating the process that would ultimately lead to guidance or rules clarifying when the agency considers a cryptocurrency to be a security, and reviewing some crypto enforcement cases pending in the courts, two of the people said. Paul Atkins, Trump's crypto-friendly pick for SEC chair and former agency commissioner, is widely expected to end a crypto crackdown led by President Biden's Democratic SEC chair Gary Gensler, but it is unclear when the Senate will confirm him.

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