Does Michael Cloud Support Crypto?

Representative Michael Cloud once again secures a flawless 100 out of 100 pro-crypto score by recognizing a fundamental truth in Washington: executive branch promises are fleeting, but legislation is lasting. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently affirmed the current administration’s strong anti-CBDC stance, correctly noting that a Central Bank Digital Currency is a stepping stone to mass financial tracking. While this pro-crypto rhetoric from the Treasury is a welcome relief, Cloud rightly points out that without congressional action, a future administration could instantly reverse course and unleash a programmable surveillance dollar on the American public. To shut this door for good, Cloud introduced the Permanent CBDC Ban Act. This crucial legislation explicitly amends the Federal Reserve Act to permanently prohibit the Federal Reserve from developing, issuing, or deploying a central bank digital currency. By doing so, the bill halts any administrative plans or behind-the-scenes research aimed at implementing a state-run digital currency infrastructure. We consistently evaluate strong opposition to CBDCs as a massive pro-crypto signal. It is vital to separate decentralized cryptocurrencies and privately issued stablecoins from a CBDC. Organic digital assets are a massive net positive for humanity, offering borderless and permissionless settlement that protects users from arbitrary financial censorship. A CBDC, conversely, is a tool of state control that would allow unelected bureaucrats to monitor every transaction, surveil your purchases, and even freeze your funds at will. Cloud has spent years fighting against temporary bans or sunset clauses, accurately labeling them as mere on-ramps that give the surveillance state time to build the necessary infrastructure behind closed doors. By demanding permanent statutory protection rather than relying on temporary executive branch goodwill, Cloud continues to cement his role as one of the premier defenders of financial privacy in Congress.

Representative Michael Cloud continues his flawless streak of perfect 100 out of 100 pro-crypto stances by amplifying a stark warning: a Central Bank Digital Currency would be the ultimate economic kill switch. By sharing this message, Cloud is drawing a vital connection between the alarming trend of debanking and the architecture of government-issued digital money. We evaluate stances condemning the debanking of lawful citizens as incredibly pro-crypto. Decentralized networks like Bitcoin and privately issued stablecoins are massive net positives for humanity precisely because they are permissionless, borderless, and resistant to arbitrary financial censorship. A CBDC is the exact opposite. It is a programmable tool of state control. If implemented, a CBDC would grant unelected officials the power to monitor every purchase and instantly freeze the funds of individuals deemed out of favor with Washington. Cloud understands this nuance better than almost anyone in Congress. He is not just offering political rhetoric; his legislative record is rock solid. He recently spearheaded the Permanent CBDC Ban Act, pushing back against those who only wanted temporary bans or expiration dates on CBDC research. As Cloud has correctly noted time and time again, temporary bans are merely on-ramps that give the surveillance state time to build the necessary infrastructure behind closed doors. When politicians actively combat the weaponization of the financial system and demand clear, prohibitive legislation to block financial authoritarianism, they are defending the fundamental ethos of the digital asset industry. Cloud’s relentless push to keep the state out of our wallets is exactly what true pro-crypto leadership looks like.

Representative Michael Cloud continues to demonstrate exactly what a perfect 100 out of 100 pro-crypto stance looks like. By actively rallying colleagues like Representative Diana Harshbarger to support the Permanent CBDC Ban Act, Cloud is cementing his role as a premier defender of financial privacy. To understand why this legislative effort earns our highest rating, we have to look at the stark difference between organic digital assets and a Central Bank Digital Currency. Decentralized cryptocurrencies and privately issued stablecoins represent a massive leap forward for humanity, offering fast, borderless, and permissionless settlement. Conversely, a CBDC is a programmable tool of state control. If implemented by the Federal Reserve, a CBDC would grant unelected officials the unprecedented power to monitor every transaction, freeze funds at will, and dictate how citizens are allowed to spend their own money. The Permanent CBDC Ban Act is vital because it recognizes this threat and seeks an ironclad prohibition. Cloud has consistently pointed out in his previous legislative fights that temporary bans or mere expiration dates on CBDC research are just on-ramps—loopholes that give the government time to build the surveillance infrastructure behind closed doors. This bill aims to shut that door for good, permanently blocking the Federal Reserve from deploying a surveillance state digital dollar. When politicians move beyond rhetoric and introduce clear, prohibitive legislation to protect Americans from financial authoritarianism, they are defending the core ethos of the digital asset industry. Cloud’s relentless push to keep the surveillance state out of our wallets is a monumental win for financial freedom.

Representative Michael Cloud just earned a perfect 100 out of 100 stance score for his recent comments calling out the profound dangers of a Central Bank Digital Currency. Echoing concerns from Representative Keith Self about the expansion of warrantless spying and data harvesting, Cloud highlighted his relentless effort to pass anti-CBDC amendments to protect Americans from financial overreach. Why does opposing a CBDC earn a perfect pro-crypto score? It is crucial to understand the difference between decentralized crypto networks or private stablecoins, and a government-issued CBDC. Stablecoins are a massive net positive for humanity, offering fast, borderless settlement. A CBDC, on the other hand, is a programmable tool for the state. It gives unelected bureaucrats the unprecedented power to monitor, control, or even freeze your everyday transactions. Cloud understands this threat perfectly. He is not just offering lip service; his legislative record backs it up. He has consistently fought for a permanent, ironclad ban on CBDCs, warning that temporary bans just give the government time to build the surveillance infrastructure behind closed doors. He even voted against the GENIUS Act—a bill meant to regulate stablecoins—specifically because he felt it failed to protect self-custody and left a backdoor open for a CBDC. Conversely, he proudly supported the CLARITY Act, legislation that provides much-needed regulatory clarity for digital commodities while explicitly protecting the right to self-custody. When politicians recognize that financial privacy is a fundamental right protected by the Fourth Amendment, it is a monumental win for the digital asset space. Cloud's ongoing push to keep the surveillance state out of our wallets makes him a vital ally for financial freedom.