White House crypto adviser Patrick Witt has left his role as executive director of the U.S. President’s Advisory Council on Digital Assets after his temporary appointment expired. His departure leaves the council without a publicly identified leader as lawmakers remain divided over the CLARITY Act, a proposed regulatory framework for digital assets.

Journalist Eleanor Terrett reported Witt’s departure, citing sources familiar with the matter. A White House spokesperson told The Block that his temporary appointment had expired. Administration officials thanked Witt for his work and wished him success in his future career.

Witt is an employee of the U.S. Department of Defense who was temporarily assigned to the council. He had planned to leave the White House in July 2026 for mandatory training with the Georgia National Guard, but the training was rescheduled.

He is the third senior administration official to leave a leadership role in the administration’s crypto portfolio. Presidential adviser for artificial intelligence and digital assets David Sacks stepped down in March 2026, while council deputy director Harry Jung left in July.

As of publication, the White House had not said who would lead the council after Witt’s departure.

CLARITY Act negotiations

Witt became head of the President’s Advisory Council on Digital Assets in August 2025, replacing Bo Hines, who returned to the private sector. Witt had previously served as the council’s deputy director and also acted as head of the Department of Defense’s Office of Strategic Capital.

His main focus was advancing the crypto market structure bill known as the CLARITY Act. The legislation is intended to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital assets and clarify how authority is divided among federal regulators.

After the House of Representatives approved the bill, Witt participated in talks with senators and industry representatives. One of the most contentious issues was how rewards for stablecoin holders would accrue.

In April 2026, Witt said banks and crypto companies had reached a preliminary compromise. The parties discussed caps on yields comparable to interest on bank deposits while retaining certain rewards programs.

Witt said in May that the administration aimed to secure passage of the CLARITY Act by July 4, 2026, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. Lawmakers did not reach an agreement by that deadline.

Democrats also sought conflict-of-interest provisions that would limit the ability of the president and other senior officials to earn income from crypto businesses. Witt continued negotiating with representatives of both parties and was expected in July 2026 to participate in discussions of the disputed provisions with President Donald Trump and senators.

The bill failed an initial procedural vote in the Senate in September. Democratic lawmakers raised concerns about the effectiveness of the proposed restrictions on the president and how those limits would be enforced. The disagreements remained unresolved as of October 2026.

Strategic bitcoin reserve

Witt also worked on an initiative to create a U.S. strategic bitcoin reserve. In April 2026, he announced preparations for an important statement on the matter and said work was underway on legal and organizational mechanisms for establishing a government stockpile of bitcoin.

His departure comes as the timetable for passing the CLARITY Act remains uncertain. The White House has not identified who will continue coordinating digital-asset regulatory talks with Congress.

Source: Incrypted