As President Trump prepares to sign the first major U.S. law regulating cryptocurrency Friday, a growing chorus of voices is urging policymakers to ensure the country’s digital economic future is shaped intentionally — and in line with American values.
The GENIUS Act, passed Thursday by the House with bipartisan support, establishes a regulatory framework for stablecoins, a $250 billion corner of the crypto market. Seen as a relatively safe form of digital currency because they’re pegged to assets like the dollar, stablecoins have surged in popularity in recent years — and with them, concerns about oversight and security.
For Igor Volovich, Executive Director of Strategy at the America First Technology Infrastructure & Innovation Initiative (America First Tech), this moment is exactly why his group was created.
“America First Tech was founded to ensure the United States takes a leadership role in shaping the economic infrastructure of tomorrow — by design, not by default,” Volovich said in an interview.
The GENIUS Act passed after a week of procedural skirmishes among House Republicans, who ultimately reached a compromise to move the legislation forward. The House also approved two other crypto-related bills — the Clarity Act, addressing digital commodities beyond stablecoins, and the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act, which bars the Federal Reserve from issuing a retail central bank digital currency directly to Americans.
The flurry of activity — which lawmakers dubbed “Crypto Week” — underscores how quickly digital finance has moved up the policy agenda. But Volovich cautions that passing laws is only the beginning.
“We believe America thrives when innovation reflects our values: openness, accountability, and opportunity for all,” he said.
For America First Tech, the mission goes beyond a single piece of legislation. The group aims to bring together policymakers, technology leaders, economists, and others to shape a broader framework for U.S. digital infrastructure that remains resilient and democratic in the face of global competition.
Building on that vision, the forum is convening stakeholders to examine how systems like stablecoins, tokenized dollars, and blockchain-enabled rails can be designed to serve the public good — not just markets.
“This is a moment to bring policymakers, builders, and economists together — to shape the foundational systems that will support a more resilient, inclusive, and secure American economy for generations to come,” Volovich said.
Friday’s signing ceremony for the GENIUS Act comes at a tumultuous moment in Washington, as the White House and Congress also clashed this week over unrelated issues, including foreign aid cuts and the ongoing release of grand jury materials in the Jeffrey Epstein case.
On Thursday night, Mr. Trump ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the release of Epstein-related transcripts, calling the ongoing investigation a “scam” in a post on Truth Social.
Meanwhile, lawmakers approved a separate rescissions package — cutting about $9 billion from foreign aid and public broadcasting — another long-sought priority for House Republicans.
Amid the noise of those headlines, however, advocates like Volovich hope the significance of the GENIUS Act isn’t lost.
For America First Tech, the legislation is a milestone — but also a reminder of how much work lies ahead to ensure the U.S. retains sovereignty over its digital economy and avoids ceding ground to foreign models of governance.
The GENIUS Act, Volovich suggests, is an example of what happens when stakeholders work together to confront challenges deliberately rather than reactively — a theme his organization hopes to amplify as the next chapter of digital policy takes shape.
“America First Tech was founded to ensure the United States takes a leadership role in shaping the economic infrastructure of tomorrow — by design, not by default,” he said again, underscoring the urgency of that vision.
Whether the U.S. can build a resilient and inclusive digital financial system that lives up to that vision remains to be seen. But for Volovich and his colleagues, one thing is clear: the decisions made now will ripple for generations to come.