Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman said the central bank should allow its employees to own “de minimis” amounts of cryptocurrencies, contending that direct exposure would deepen their understanding of the products they are tasked with supervising. Bowman delivered the remarks at the Wyoming Blockchain Symposium, where she outlined a broader agenda for embracing technological change in the financial sector. Bowman argued that first-hand experience with digital assets would improve regulators’ ability to police markets and help the Fed recruit and retain examiners with specialized expertise. She noted that the central bank’s strict investment rules—introduced in 2021 to bar policymakers and senior staff from trading individual stocks and bonds—now risk deterring talent and hindering oversight of fast-growing crypto activities. Framing her proposal within a wider call for innovation, Bowman urged both banks and regulators to move beyond an “overly cautious mindset” toward technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence. While she did not specify dollar limits or a timeline, any relaxation of staff investment restrictions would require approval from the Fed’s Board of Governors.