Jesse Hamilton

Jesse Hamilton is CoinDesk's deputy managing editor on the Global Policy and Regulation team, based in Washington, D.C. Before joining CoinDesk in 2022, he worked for more than a decade covering Wall Street regulation at Bloomberg News and Businessweek, writing about the early whisperings among federal agencies trying to decide what to do about crypto. He’s won several national honors in his reporting career, including from his time as a war correspondent in Iraq and as a police reporter for newspapers. Jesse is a graduate of Western Washington University, where he studied journalism and history. He has no crypto holdings.

Jesse Hamilton

Latest from Jesse Hamilton


Policy

Coinbase Sounds Alarm on IRS Crypto Tax Proposal

As the U.S. crypto exchange called the recent IRS proposal for taxing crypto “incomprehensible,” the tax agency flagged that the industry isn’t paying its fair share.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong (Coinbase)

Policy

Voyager Ex-CEO Charged by U.S. Regulators With Fraud, Making False Claims

Former Voyager Digital CEO Steve Ehrlich is facing complaints from the Federal Trade Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which also used the case to reinforce its view of USDC as a commodity.

Voyager Digital's Ex-CEO Steve Ehrlich is under the gun from multiple regulators accusing him of fraud and making false claims to customers. (CoinDesk)

Policy

Crypto Bills May Depend on U.S. House GOP Battle Over Scalise Speaker Pick

If Republicans can’t unify behind Scalise or another choice to be speaker, paralysis in the House over crypto legislation and a potential government shutdown could continue.

U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise got the nod from his party to be the next speaker of the House. But several fellow Republicans may vote against him anyway, so his ascent isn't assured. (Photo courtesy of Rep. Steve Scalise; illustration by Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)

Policy

BlockFi Bankruptcy Judge Says He Wants 3AC’s $284M Claim Resolved in Mediation

A bankruptcy judge rebuffed Three Arrows Capital’s request to lift a stay on its claim against BlockFi, setting a January mediation he hopes negates the need for a February hearing.

Publicidad de BlockFi en Union Station, Washington D. C. (Archivo de CoinDesk)

Policy

Crypto Needs Congress, But U.S. Lawmakers Have Opted for Pandemonium

While Congress stares down the barrel of a Nov. 17 government shutdown, the rudderless House remains the focus of the crypto industry’s hopes for regulatory progress.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) are vying in the House of Representatives for the open speaker position. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Policy

Ripple Says Singapore License Formally Approved

After a June in-principle approval, a subsidiary for Ripple has been granted its license by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

Ripple (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)

Policy

Crypto-Friendly Congressman McHenry Temporarily Takes Over U.S. House

A staunch advocate for crypto industry regulation, Rep. Patrick McHenry has found himself as a stand-in Speaker of the House as crypto bills head toward the floor.

U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry got tied up as temporary Speaker of the House, distracting him from crypto legislation. (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)

Finance

Coinbase’s Attempt to End SEC Lawsuit Should Be Rejected, U.S. Regulator Argues

“To distract from the fatal flaws in its legal arguments, Coinbase cries foul and seeks to blame the SEC for its current legal predicament,” the SEC said in a Tuesday court filing.

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler peppered the crypto industry with criticisms in congressional testimony.  (Courtesy of the House Financial Services Committee)

Policy

Chinese Firms Used Crypto Payments to Run Fentanyl Network, U.S. Claims in Charges

The U.S. Department of Justice charged eight companies with illegal drug production, distribution and sales of precursor chemicals, saying they used cryptocurrency to move money.

U.S. authorities cracked down on another ring of fentanyl suppliers they say are tied to Chinese companies and using cryptocurrency to move money. (Photo illustration by Jesse Hamilton)

Policy

Fed Report: Silvergate Bank Got Fatally Ensnared in Crypto While Examiners Shrugged

The Federal Reserve's inspector general studied the bank’s collapse and concluded the Fed’s examiners failed to quickly flag its problems and managers were “ineffective.”

(Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)