tl;dr
Kristin Smith, CEO of the Blockchain Association, will resign next month to become president of Solana’s Policy Institute. The Blockchain Association is searching for her successor. Founded in 2018, the association has been influential in advancing crypto industry interests in Washington, D.C. Smith...
The CEO of the Blockchain Association, Kristin Smith, will resign next month to become the president of Solana's Policy Institute, prompting the association to search for her successor. The Blockchain Association, founded in 2018, has been influential in advocating for crypto industry interests in Washington, D.C. Smith has been with the association for approximately six years and has a background in tech-focused policy initiatives.
Solana, the sixth-largest digital asset by market capitalization, is venturing into the policy institute space, with Smith transitioning to her new role on May 19. The Board of Directors at the Blockchain Association has already started the search for Smith's replacement, as she prepares to join Solana. Smith has played a crucial part in the industry, contributing to significant advancements in advocating for crypto interests.
The crypto industry has witnessed substantial growth in Washington, D.C., leading to calls for further enshrinement of the industry's interests into law. To meet this demand, several Layer-1 blockchains, including Solana, have launched policy institutes, indicating a significant shift in the industry's approach to policy and regulations.
Smith, who also served as a Senate and congressional aide on Capitol Hill before joining the Blockchain Association, has been actively engaged in tech-focused policy initiatives. Additionally, she holds positions on the boards of prominent firms in the crypto space, such as the Filecoin Foundation for the Decentralized Web and Skybridge Capital’s G and GII Funds, founded by Anthony Scaramucci.
Solana, currently trading at $126.70, holds the position of the sixth-largest digital asset by market capitalization. Smith expressed her enthusiasm for the industry while transitioning into her new role, indicating that it signifies a shift in perspective rather than a goodbye to the industry she loves.