Crypto Firms To Receive Cybersecurity Support Under US Treasury’s New Initiative

The US Department of the Treasury announced Thursday a new initiative designed to reduce the growing cybersecurity risks facing the crypto industry. 

The program, led through the Department’s Office of Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection (OCCIP), is intended to give eligible US digital asset firms practical cybersecurity information. The goal is straightforward: help companies spot threats, strengthen prevention efforts, and respond effectively when incidents occur.

Treasury’s Crypto Cybersecurity Push 

In remarks accompanying the announcement, Luke Pettit, Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions, emphasized that digital asset firms now play an increasingly important role in the US financial system. 

By extending access to the same quality cybersecurity information used by traditional financial institutions, Pettit said Treasury is working to support a more secure and responsible digital asset ecosystem.

Treasury also framed the announcement as part of a broader push to ensure that cybersecurity is treated as a foundation for the next stage of digital finance, rather than an afterthought. 

Tyler Williams, Counselor to the Secretary for Digital Assets, said the initiative reflects the principles behind the country’s stablecoin bill, the GENIUS Act, by encouraging innovation supported by cybersecurity and operational resilience. 

Williams added that as digital assets become more integrated into the financial system, providing timely and actionable threat information becomes essential to protecting consumers and safeguarding US financial markets.

Additionally, Treasury officials said the initiative builds on recommendations from the President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets report, Strengthening American Leadership in Digital Financial Technology. 

Stablecoin Compliance Gets Clearer 

Officials involved in cybersecurity oversight also highlighted that the threat environment is changing quickly. Cory Wilson, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity, noted that cyber threats targeting crypto platforms are rising in both frequency and sophistication. 

According to Wilson, the new initiative expands access to actionable threat intelligence intended to help firms strengthen defenses, reduce risk exposure, and handle incidents more effectively when they happen.

The announcement arrives alongside other regulatory steps Treasury and related agencies have been pursuing. On Wednesday, the Department also released a joint proposed rule from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). 

That proposal is intended to provide a more detailed framework for the GENIUS Act, translating statutory requirements into clearer anti-money-laundering (AML) and sanctions-compliance obligations for permitted payment stablecoin issuers (PPSIs).

Treasury said the draft rule outlines how stablecoin issuers would be expected to detect, report, and block unlawful activity while still maintaining the tools required to comply with lawful orders. 

In combination with the new OCCIP cybersecurity initiative, the actions signal a broader direction: tighter operational standards, greater regulatory clarity, and continued cooperation with digital asset firms to help the crypto industry operate with stronger safeguards.

Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com