Trump Praises Fed Governor Chris Waller as Fed Chair Decision Nears
President Donald Trump is considering three to four finalists for Fed chair and has praised Federal Reserve Governor Chris Waller as experienced and “very good.” Waller has signaled a pro-innovation stance on digital currencies, saying crypto payments outside traditional banks are “nothing to be afraid of,” which has drawn attention from the crypto industry. Trump said he expects to announce his choice in the coming weeks, possibly before year-end. Prediction market Polymarket currently prices Waller at about 14%, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett at 53%, former Fed governor Kevin Warsh at 28%, and Fed governor Michelle Bowman at 2%. Markets and crypto traders watch the Fed chair selection closely because Fed rate policy affects risk-asset demand—rate cuts tend to boost flows into higher-risk assets like cryptocurrencies. Short-term market reaction may hinge on which finalist is chosen; a chair viewed as dovish or innovation-friendly could be supportive for crypto, while a hawkish pick could weigh on risk assets. SEO keywords: Fed chair, Chris Waller, crypto payments, Federal Reserve, Polymarket.
Neutral
The news is market-relevant but not decisively positive or negative for cryptocurrencies. Waller’s openness to crypto innovation and comments that crypto payments outside banks are ‘nothing to be afraid of’ are perceived as supportive signals; such rhetoric can encourage investor risk appetite. However, Polymarket odds show higher probabilities for Kevin Hassett and Kevin Warsh, whose stances on monetary policy and crypto are less clearly supportive. The Fed chair’s influence is primarily through interest-rate policy: a dovish chair (expecting cuts) would likely be bullish for risk assets including crypto, while a hawkish chair would be bearish. At this stage, uncertainty about the final pick and shifting odds produce limited directional conviction. Traders should expect heightened volatility around the announcement; short-term moves will depend on whether the chosen candidate is perceived as dovish/innovation-friendly or hawkish. Over the longer term, sustained policy direction (rate cuts or hikes) and regulatory signals regarding crypto will determine trend direction. Given mixed signals and incomplete information, classify impact as neutral until a definitive selection and policy stance are announced.