As the United States Congress debates new market structure legislation and digital asset regulation, the primary objective should be public benefit, not lining the pockets of big banks. Crypto legislation must prioritize supporting community banks, credit unions, and other mission-driven financial institutions that ensure young people and everyday Americans have meaningful access to the existing and emerging financial system.
Many of the challenges faced by working families — including high fees, limited access to credit, and unequal treatment across communities — stem from traditional banking’s structural shortcomings that crypto innovation is already improving.
When designed thoughtfully, digital assets can strengthen financial inclusion, and expand economic opportunity. Payment-focused crypto tools introduce competition at the infrastructure level by lowering costs, increasing transparency, and expanding consumer choice without replicating discriminatory lending decisions.
For millions of Americans, particularly younger generations, crypto and decentralized finance (DeFi) represent new ways to earn, save, invest, and move money. A 2025 YouGov survey shows just how much the next generation is reshaping investing: According to the survey, 42% of Gen Z investors own crypto, compared with just 11% with a retirement account. Among millennials, 36% own crypto, while 34% have retirement accounts.
Traditional finance has increasingly favored scale and institutional access, often limiting opportunities for individuals and families to build wealth. Digital assets have begun to lower those barriers by expanding participation and enabling new forms of economic engagement that operate beyond legacy financial constraints.
Congress now has an opportunity to support a vision of crypto that works for regular people rather than allowing innovation to be shaped solely by large financial institutions.
A Response to the 2008 Financial Crisis
Bitcoin (BTC) was created in response to the failures revealed by the 2008 financial crisis. Its original purpose was to offer an alternative payment system that reduced dependence on centralized intermediaries and increased transparency through open, verifiable rules.
Understanding this origin is critical for effective policymaking. Cryptocurrency’s value lies in introducing competition, resilience, and choice, as those in the space have recognized as fundamental truths. While legacy finance often relies on opacity, delay, and restricted access to preserve profitability, crypto-based systems compete by reducing friction, shortening settlement times, and increasing transparency.
Mission-driven financial institutions (MDFIs) such as credit unions and community banks play an essential role in the US financial system. They provide relationship-based lending, support small businesses, and help sustain local economies.
At the same time, many young Americans experience the financial system as costly, slow, and increasingly out of reach. High fees, limited access to credit, and outdated payment infrastructure disproportionately affect younger people and working families. Crypto legislation should therefore be designed to reinforce MDFIs’ role in community development while improving access to financial services.
Policymakers should ensure that new regulatory frameworks allow smaller and mid-sized institutions to adopt digital asset and financial technology innovations, rather than creating compliance burdens that only the largest banks can absorb.
Recent experience shows that MDFIs willing to adopt digital-first strategies can improve performance without abandoning prudent risk management.
An Inclusive Financial Industry Is Possible
The United Nations Federal Credit Union has partnered with fintech providers to offer digital wallets, faster cross-border payments, and limited crypto access for members with international ties, helping it attract younger members and grow deposits without expanding branches. Western Alliance Bank has experienced meaningful year-over-year deposit growth in part by maintaining measured exposure to crypto-related and fintech clients.
At the same time, Axos Bank has built consumer credibility and sustained growth by leveraging online-only banking and fintech partnerships at scale. Frankenmuth Credit Union expanded its digital services by launching a crypto portal that allows members to buy, sell, and manage cryptocurrencies directly within its online banking platform.
Crypto legislation presents an important opportunity for Congress to modernize financial regulation in a way that serves the public interest like never before. Overdraft fees, predatory lending, loan denial, and so many problems faced by consumers in poor communities and communities of color that have traditionally faced discrimination can be addressed by creating smart legislation that promotes rather than hinders innovation.
By supporting MDFIs, expanding access for young people and working families, and recognizing the complementary role of digital assets, lawmakers can promote a more inclusive and resilient financial system. The choice before policymakers is whether new legislation will continue to concentrate financial power in a system that prioritizes shareholders over underserved people and markets, or broaden economic opportunity for everyone.