The newly surfaced Jeffrey Epstein files have sparked a fresh debate over his possible connections with the early crypto policy circles. This development comes into play as Epstein’s emails revealed references to policy and academic figures, including Gary Gensler.
Is Gary Gensler Linked to Jeffrey Epstein?
The recent release of the Jeffrey Epstein files has raised eyebrows as it revealed the late offender’s connections with many crypto industry experts and policymakers. The latest scrutiny is regarding his apparent ties with former SEC Chair Gary Gensler.
In an X post earlier today, XRP sleuth wEeZiE {X} shed light on these alleged interactions between Jeffrey Epstein and Gary Gensler. He wrote, “So Gary Gensler met Epstein confirmed.”
Notably, the Epstein file suggests that he spoke about meeting Gary Gensler to discuss cryptocurrencies. This gives a clear picture of the financier’s attempts to connect with early crypto experts and policy figures.
The 2018 emails mentioned that Epstein had informed former US Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers about Gensler’s earlier arrival for crypto discussions. In response, Summers noted that he knew Gensler, calling him “pretty smart.”
According to one of the emails, Epstein had hinted at his potential meeting with the former SEC Chair, writing that he would discuss with “Gary Gensler on crypto tomorrow.” However, it is not clear if the meeting really took place.
Unveiling Ties to Crypto, Regulation, and CBDC
It is worth noting that the Epstein files have raised questions of the offender’s broader connections with the crypto industry. Although there is no evidence for any direct links, it is clear that Epstein had millions of investments in early crypto projects, including Coinbase.
Reports claim that Epstein had invested about $3 million in Coinbase in 2014. As the emails have mentioned XRP and Stellar, experts assume that the financer had early investments in these crypto projects.
Another major revelation is Epstein’s alleged involvement in funding U.S. CBDC pilot programs through MIT and the Federal Reserve Banks. Any potential meetings between Jeffrey Epstein and Gary Gensler would have taken place before Gensler became SEC Chair, during the period when he was a professor at MIT. Later, he joined the Biden administration to frame the crypto regulatory draft. Thus, there is speculation that Epstein has influenced the crypto regulatory moves of Gensler.
Beyond policy circles, Epstein reportedly invested early in stablecoin projects like Circle through Brock Pierce and may have had involvement in Tether’s early days. Pierce even asked Epstein to connect him with Summers, suggesting a deeper financial network.
Jeffrey Epstein met with Gary Gensler before Gensler became SEC Chair to discuss digital currencies.
Gensler went on to play a central role in drafting Biden’s Executive Order 14067, which authorized the U.S. government to pursue a CBDC while taking a whole-of-government… pic.twitter.com/nureBt2yFa
— Aaron Day (@AaronRDay) February 16, 2026
As noted by Aaron Day on X, these revelations underscore a broader pattern. It means that Epstein appeared to maintain investments in private crypto ventures while maintaining ties to academic and policy networks influencing digital currency regulation. Thus, the Epstein files highlight how high-profile investors may have sought to shape the emerging crypto ecosystem long before cryptocurrencies became mainstream.