A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers has introduced legislation that would establish a federal task force dedicated to investigating cryptocurrency theft and coordinating enforcement efforts across multiple government agencies.
The proposal comes more than a year after the U.S. Department of Justice dissolved its National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET), a specialized unit that focused on crypto-related investigations and prosecutions. The new legislation aims to fill the coordination gap left by the unit’s shutdown and strengthen the federal response to digital asset theft.
If approved, the task force would operate under the Department of Justice and bring together representatives from agencies including the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, the Treasury Department, and other federal law enforcement bodies. The goal is to create a centralized framework for handling cryptocurrency theft cases and improving cooperation among agencies involved in investigations.
Lawmakers behind the proposal argue that crypto-related theft, hacking incidents, scams, and fraud schemes have grown increasingly sophisticated, making coordinated enforcement more important. The task force would focus on tracing stolen assets, supporting investigations, improving blockchain forensic capabilities, and assisting victims affected by digital asset crimes.
The legislation is designed to focus on criminal enforcement rather than cryptocurrency regulation. Under the proposal, the task force would not be responsible for overseeing digital asset products or creating new regulatory requirements for crypto companies. Instead, its primary objective would be to improve the government’s ability to investigate and respond to theft and fraud involving digital assets.
The proposed framework would also support training initiatives for federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. As cryptocurrency adoption continues to expand, lawmakers say investigators require additional resources and technical expertise to address crimes involving blockchain-based assets.
The effort reflects growing concern among policymakers about the scale of losses linked to crypto-related theft and scams. High-profile hacks, phishing attacks, and fraud schemes have resulted in billions of dollars in stolen digital assets over the past several years, creating challenges for victims seeking recovery and law enforcement agencies attempting to track funds across jurisdictions.
The proposal follows a broader shift in the federal government’s approach to digital assets. After the NCET was disbanded in 2025, the Justice Department moved away from what it described as an enforcement-led approach toward the crypto industry. The new bill seeks to restore a dedicated coordination mechanism focused specifically on criminal activity rather than industry oversight.
The legislation remains in the early stages of the congressional process and will require committee review and additional legislative approvals before becoming law. If enacted, the task force would serve as a central point for coordinating investigations into cryptocurrency theft while helping agencies improve their response to digital asset-related crime.
The proposal highlights continued efforts by U.S. lawmakers to address the growing challenges associated with digital asset security as cryptocurrency adoption expands globally.
