- Kristin Smith will serve as interim CEO from Oct. 17 while continuing as president of the Solana Institute during this transition.
- Mersinger’s tenure included stablecoin advocacy, SEC and CFTC work, and expanded congressional outreach in Washington, D.C., too.
- The association reported more than 300 congressional and agency meetings in 2026, plus seven member fly-ins on Capitol Hill.
Blockchain Association CEO Summer Mersinger will step down Oct. 16, with former CEO Kristin Smith returning as interim leader. The association announced the change Sept. 25 in Washington, D.C., saying Smith will begin Oct. 17 while keeping her role as Solana Institute president. Mersinger will remain an adviser through year-end during the transition.
Smith Returns as Mersinger Prepares to Leave
Smith also serves as president of the Blockchain Association board and previously led the group until 2025. She joined as its first employee in 2018 and helped expand its Washington operation. A Solana Institute spokesperson said Smith will remain in her current position while serving as interim CEO.
She will hold the role until there is “a clear path forward.” Mersinger joined the association in June 2025 after serving as a CFTC commissioner. She also held senior congressional staff roles and advised Senate Majority Leader John Thune.
Mersinger Led Stablecoin and Regulatory Efforts
During Mersinger’s tenure, the association advocated for the GENIUS Act, which President Trump signed into law in July 2025. The law established a federal framework for payment stablecoins.
The group also worked on regulatory issues involving the SEC and CFTC. Those efforts included a joint SEC-CFTC interpretation, SEC Regulation Crypto Assets, and the Innovation Exemption.
In February 2026, the association’s members petitioned the CFTC over perpetual digital asset contracts. In May, the CFTC approved Kalshi’s bitcoin perpetual contract as a futures contract.
Washington Outreach Grew Under Mersinger
Mersinger testified before the Senate Banking Committee, House Financial Services Committee, and House Ways and Means subcommittee. She also launched the association’s first in-house grassroots advocacy program.
The program connected builders, users, and crypto voters with elected officials. Meanwhile, the association reported more than 300 congressional and agency meetings in 2026. It also held seven member fly-ins on Capitol Hill and increased engagement with the White House.
Smith credited Mersinger’s regulatory and congressional experience for the association’s recent work. Mersinger said Smith built the association from the ground up and that it was prepared for the transition.
