Trump Praises Waller

Donald Trump has publicly praised Chris Waller following a conversation about the possibility of him becoming the next Chair of the Federal Reserve. During a press conference, the U.S. president described Waller as a “great” candidate, emphasizing that he has known him for years and has closely followed his career.

Trump stated that he has narrowed the shortlist for the new Fed chair to three or four candidates. As he noted, any of them would be a solid choice. The final decision is expected within the next few weeks, although the president did not provide a specific timeline.

Chris Waller has recently been viewed as relatively supportive of cryptocurrencies. Speaking at the Wyoming Blockchain Symposium 2025 in August, he said there was no reason to fear cryptocurrency payments operating outside the traditional banking system.

According to the Polymarket platform, Waller currently has a 14% chance of securing the nomination. Higher odds are assigned to White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett, at 53%, and former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh, with 28%. When asked about Michelle Bowman, Trump did not confirm whether she was on the shortlist, but described her as a “fantastic person.” Polymarket puts her chances at 2%.

The selection of the next Federal Reserve chair is being closely watched by the cryptocurrency industry. Fed decisions on monetary policy, including interest rate levels, have a significant impact on financial markets. When rates are lowered, investors are more likely to turn to riskier assets such as cryptocurrencies, as traditional investment options become less attractive.