Blockchain Association CEO Summer Mersinger steps down, Kristin Smith returns as interim CEO

The Blockchain Association is swapping captains mid-voyage. Summer Mersinger, who took the helm as CEO just over a year ago, is stepping down effective October 16, with co-founder Kristin Smith returning as interim CEO the following day. The leadership shuffle comes at an awkward time for crypto’s most prominent trade group. The US Senate recently declined to advance the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, a bill that had already cleared the House. The revolving door at the top Mersinger arrived at the Blockchain Association in June 2025 after serving as a commissioner at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The GENIUS Act, a stablecoin-focused piece of legislation, passed in July 2025 during her watch. She’ll remain connected to the organization as an advisor through December 31, 2026. Smith co-founded the Blockchain Association and served as its CEO from 2018 until May 2025. During her original run, the group’s membership grew to over 125 organizations. Smith currently serves as president of the Solana Policy Institute, and she plans to juggle both positions simultaneously. Why the Senate stall matters The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act was supposed to be the industry’s brea...