End Crypto Corruption Act of 2025
The End Crypto Corruption Act of 2025 is a proposed federal ethics and anti-corruption measure aimed at the President, Vice President, Members of Congress, and individuals appointed to Senate-confirmed positions. It would add a new subchapter to the relevant ethics law (5 U.S.C. Chapter 131) restricting these covered individuals and their spouses/dependent children from issuing, sponsoring, or endorsing certain digital assets for remuneration. It also creates parallel criminal penalties in Title 18 for prohibited financial transactions. The core idea is to prevent high-level government officials from directly or indirectly profiting from crypto assets or related financial instruments while in office or for a period after leaving service. The bill was introduced in May 2025 with a broad coalition of sponsors. In practical terms, if enacted, the bill would ban officials and their close associates from involvement with crypto assets that are sold for compensation (including NFTs, tokens, meme coins, stablecoins, and similar digital assets), as well as synthetic or fund-structured interests tied to those assets (via derivatives or mutual funds/ETFs). The prohibitions extend to both direct and indirect interests and would carry civil penalties and possible criminal penalties for violations.
Key Points
- 1Prohibited financial transactions: The bill prohibits issuance, sponsorship, or endorsement of digital assets sold for remuneration, as well as related interests obtained through derivatives or pooled/investment vehicles. Ordinary buying/selling of publicly available financial instruments is excluded.
- 2Who is covered: The President, Vice President, Members of Congress, individuals appointed to Senate-confirmed positions, and certain special Government employees associated with the Executive Office of the President. It also covers the spouse and dependent child of a covered individual.
- 3Duration and scope of ban: The prohibition applies during the covered individual’s term of service and for one year after their service ends; conduct is treated as an unofficial act beyond official duties.
- 4Civil penalties: The Attorney General could sue in federal court, with penalties up to 10% of the value of the prohibited interest or the amount of financial gain, whichever is greater, plus potential disgorgement.
- 5Criminal penalties: Adds a new criminal offense, Sec. 227A, with penalties including fines and up to 5 years’ imprisonment for violations tied to substantial financial harm or profit, and potential disqualification from federal office for bribery-type conduct.
- 6Bribery provision: Expanded liability for demanding or accepting value in exchange for influencing official acts or committing or covering up fraud.
- 7Definitions and structure: The bill defines “prohibited financial transaction,” “covered individual,” and “Senate-confirmed position,” and would insert a new subchapter into Chapter 131 of Title 5, with a parallel criminal provision in Title 18 (Chapter 11).