President Donald Trump signed an executive order today that imposed sanction against Venezuela’s cryptocurrency, the “petro.” Trump’s executive order prohibits U.S. persons and others subject to U.S. jurisdiction from engaging in transactions involving any digital currency, coin or token issued by, for or on behalf of the Venezuelan government. The petro has been opposed by opposition legislators in Venezuela’s opposition-controlled legislature, who consider it a violation of the constitution.
Petro Cryptocurrency Outlawed in U.S.
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David Zaslowsky is partner in the Litigation Department of Baker McKenzie's New York office. He helps companies solve complex commercial disputes in arbitration and litigation, especially those involving cross-border issues and Section 1782 discovery. David has a degree in computer science and, as a result, has worked on numerous technology-related disputes, including, most recently, those involving blockchain and artificial intelligence. In April 2025, Attorney Intel named David one of the top 25 blockchain lawyers in the country. He is the editor of the Firm's blockchain blog and co-editor of the firm's International Litigation & Arbitration Newsletter. David has been included for a number of years in the Chambers USA Guide and Chambers Global Guide for his expertise in international arbitration. He also sits as an arbitrator and is on the roster of arbitrators for a number of arbitral institutions. David sits on the Board and chairs the governance committee of the New York International Arbitration Center, and is a founding member of the International Arbitration Club of New York. For over 35 years, he has written and spoken often on the subjects of arbitration and international litigation.