Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, who had previously expressed skepticism about the value of Bitcoin, has now become a holder of the asset. According to reports, Solomon disclosed on February 18 at the "World Liberty Forum" technology and finance conference held by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida that he holds a "very limited" amount of Bitcoin. However, Solomon attributed this investment to personal curiosity rather than strong conviction in the asset's future prospects. Reports quoted him as stating, "I am merely an observer of Bitcoin." This statement stands in stark contrast to his position in July 2024, when he described the asset as a "speculative investment" and said he saw "no practical use case" for it.
Following the successful launch of US spot Bitcoin ETFs in January 2024 and a policy tilt towards cryptocurrencies during the second Trump administration, Wall Street's attitude toward cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology has been gradually shifting. At the forum, Solomon denied that cryptocurrencies are in competition with traditional finance and emphasized that tokens will play an "extremely important role." Solomon also called for the establishment of a regulatory framework to ensure the United States "gets it right" in the digital asset space. In an interview, he warned, "If anyone expects to operate in an environment without rules, they are likely mistaken – such practitioners might consider moving to El Salvador."
These remarks closely align with recent statements from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. On February 5, Bessent explicitly told the Senate Banking Committee that it is "necessary to advance the legislative process for the Clarity Act," adding that industry participants who do not accept this should consider relocating their operations to El Salvador. It is understood that the Clarity Act is currently under consideration in the US Senate. The House version of this crypto market regulation bill was passed in July 2024, but the Senate version is stalled due to controversy over a stablecoin rewards mechanism. The core of the dispute involves banks' concerns about deposit outflows from community banks, while the cryptocurrency industry accuses traditional financial institutions of attempting to stifle competition.
However, recent comments from Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse suggest the impasse may be broken. During the company's Q4 2025 earnings call on February 12, Armstrong stated, "I am quite optimistic about the likelihood of the Clarity Act passing in the coming months." Garlinghouse said in a February 19 interview that he believes there is a 90% probability the bill will pass before the end of April. It has been reported that the White House has recently convened several coordination meetings aimed at bridging the divide between the banking sector and the crypto industry.
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