Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Introduced
In Committee
On Floor
Passed Chamber
Enacted
The STABLE GENIUS Act aims to prevent conflicts of interest by prohibiting the President, Vice President, Members of Congress, and candidates for these offices from engaging in financial transactions involving digital assets . This prohibition covers a broad range of activities, including the issuance, purchase, sale, or holding of cryptocurrencies and similar technologies, as well as synthetic or aggregated interests in such assets. The restrictions apply during their candidacy, throughout their term of service, and for a full year after their service concludes. To comply, covered individuals must place any existing digital assets into a qualified blind trust , which requires prior approval from an ethics office and mandates the trustee to divest assets within six months. Trustees must also certify annually that no information about the trust's assets or transactions has been shared with the individual, and they cannot have close personal or business ties. Violations can lead to substantial civil penalties, including fines up to $250,000 and disgorgement of profits, and knowing criminal violations may result in fines, up to 18 years imprisonment, or both, particularly if significant financial harm or benefit occurs.
The STABLE GENIUS Act aims to prevent conflicts of interest by prohibiting the President, Vice President, Members of Congress, and candidates for these offices from engaging in financial transactions involving digital assets . This prohibition covers a broad range of activities, including the issuance, purchase, sale, or holding of cryptocurrencies and similar technologies, as well as synthetic or aggregated interests in such assets. The restrictions apply during their candidacy, throughout their term of service, and for a full year after their service concludes. To comply, covered individuals must place any existing digital assets into a qualified blind trust , which requires prior approval from an ethics office and mandates the trustee to divest assets within six months. Trustees must also certify annually that no information about the trust's assets or transactions has been shared with the individual, and they cannot have close personal or business ties. Violations can lead to substantial civil penalties, including fines up to $250,000 and disgorgement of profits, and knowing criminal violations may result in fines, up to 18 years imprisonment, or both, particularly if significant financial harm or benefit occurs.