The US Senate confirmed Kevin Warsh as the 17th Chair of the Federal Reserve on May 13, 2026, in a 54-45 vote. He took the oath of office on May 22, becoming the first Fed Chair in decades to be sworn in at the White House. He succeeds Jerome Powell.
Warsh disclosed personal holdings in over 30 cryptocurrency projects, including Solana and Bitcoin. That makes him the first Federal Reserve Chair with documented direct personal exposure to crypto tokens. His estimated net worth sits between $131 million and $209 million.
During his confirmation hearings, Warsh told lawmakers he does not regard Bitcoin with trepidation. He argued that digital assets are integral to the future of American financial services and advocated for incorporating them into the broader financial system.
Warsh served as a Fed Governor from 2006 to 2011, covering the global financial crisis and its aftermath. He later joined Stanford's Hoover Institution. President Donald Trump nominated Warsh for the top job. The Senate vote broke largely along party lines at 54-45. Several senators expressed concerns about potential conflicts of interest from his crypto holdings, but Warsh committed to recusal processes where appropriate.
Market analysts see his appointment as beneficial for the crypto sector, with expectations for regulatory frameworks that actively support innovation.