On June 25, 2026, Representative William Timmons (R-SC) convened a House roundtable on cryptocurrency use under authoritarian rule. The session, titled 'Two Sides of a Digital Coin,' focused on how decentralized digital assets can help people facing state controls over money and information.
Timmons described the format as informal, with participants offering remarks and members asking questions outside the structure of a standard congressional hearing. He stated that bitcoin and decentralized technologies represent a profound challenge to authoritarian control.
'I have often said that bitcoin and decentralized technologies represent a profound challenge to authoritarian control,' Timmons remarked, casting decentralized digital assets as a check on state power.
He emphasized that cryptocurrency can be an essential tool for dissidents, journalists, and activists who risk everything to get the truth out. 'For millions of people living under repressive rule, the ability to store value, send money, or receive support from abroad without government interference can be lifesaving,' Timmons argued.
The lawmaker warned that China's digital-currency ambitions raise concerns about surveillance, cross-border payments, and authoritarian influence. He urged democratic nations to shape global standards rather than allowing authoritarian governments to do so.