Leadership Transition at Blockchain Association
Blockchain Association CEO Summer Mersinger to Step Down in October
Anonymous
Blockchain Association CEO Summer Mersinger will step down on October 16, and former chief executive Kristin Smith will return as interim leader the following day. Mersinger will remain an adviser through the end of the year, while Smith will continue as president of the Solana Policy Institute. The transition follows a setback for the group’s push for broader digital-asset regulation: the CLARITY Act stalled in the Senate after failing to win sufficient support. During Mersinger’s tenure, the GENIUS Act establishing a federal stablecoin framework was signed into law in July 2025. The association now faces continued uncertainty as it pursues clearer federal rules for the crypto industry.
Key Points
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Mersinger joined the Blockchain Association in June 2025 after serving as a commissioner at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
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Smith led the Blockchain Association from its 2018 launch until about 15 months before her interim return, and retained the association’s board presidency after leaving the CEO role.
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The Senate opposition to the CLARITY Act included all Democrats and some Republicans, and industry observers cited in one report said the setback could delay progress on the bill until at least 2027.
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Mersinger pointed to growing regulatory clarity at the SEC and CFTC as part of the association’s progress during her tenure.
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