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Donald Trump sued JPMorgan and CEO Jamie Dimon over alleged account closures.
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The lawsuit has revived crypto industry concerns around debanking.
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Banks say regulatory pressure, not politics, drives account decisions.
Lawsuit Rekindles Old Tensions
Donald Trump has sued JPMorgan Chase and its CEO Jamie Dimon, alleging the bank terminated several accounts tied to Trump-related businesses in 2021 without warning.
The lawsuit claims the closures were politically motivated, an accusation JPMorgan denies.
Why Crypto Is Paying Attention
The case has drawn renewed attention from the crypto industry, where claims of “debanking” have circulated for years. Crypto firms argue they have been disproportionately denied access to banking services, often citing what they call “Operation Choke Point 2.0.”
The term references alleged pressure on banks to limit exposure to digital asset companies during previous US administrations.
Banks Push Back
JPMorgan said it does not close accounts for political reasons but due to legal and regulatory risk. The bank has called for clearer rules, arguing that current regulations put financial institutions in difficult positions when evaluating clients.
Since Trump returned to office, US banking regulators have said they will no longer consider reputational risk when supervising banks, a move welcomed by parts of the crypto sector.