With blockchain technology and cryptocurrency gaining popularity, and coming under more scrutiny from regulators and Congress, the industry has formed a Washington lobbying group.
The Blockchain Association members include some familiar names, according to The Washington Post: exchanges Coinbase and Circle, technology startup Protocol Labs and investors including Digital Currency Group and Polychain Capital.
The group’s first hire will also be familiar in the halls of Congress: Kristin Smith, who was an aide to then-Sen. Olympia J. Snowe of Maine and who lobbied on blockchain issues for Overstock.com, the online retailer that accepts payments in bitcoin (BTC). Read more here.