As regulators circle cryptocurrency, acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu warned that the U.S. could be heading for a new financial crisis if oversight over the industry isn’t tightened.
“If the crypto industry doesn’t evolve or is more responsible, then we will be headed” for a potential rerun of 2008, Hsu told Yahoo Finance in an exclusive interview. The official is one of several crypto skeptics within the Biden administration who have taken more of a hardline on regulating the booming digital coin movement.
Hsu sounded the alarm, but noted there’s still some time to guard against a crisis. He doesn’t expect the sector will blow up in the near term. “But we are at a point where there need to be some adults in the room that guide this industry into a more responsible place,” he added.
Hsu appeared to be sending a warning to the industry – regulate yourselves before the government over-regulates you.
“I’m telling the industry today, you know what best practices are. You should impose that on yourselves now before there’s a crisis and people lose money,” said Hsu. “There are real people now putting their money into this industry and if they’re not responsible those people will lose money.”