Kristin Smith to Return as Interim CEO of Blockchain Association
Summer Mersinger is scheduled to step down Friday and is expected to remain with the organization through the end of 2026.

Blockchain Association CEO Summer Mersinger is scheduled to step down Friday, with former chief executive Kristin Smith set to return as interim head of the U.S. crypto advocacy group.
Smith previously led the association. Mersinger joined the organization last year and took the CEO role after resigning from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
Mersinger is expected to remain with the organization through the end of 2026 after leaving the chief executive position.
The leadership transition comes as the association participates in a legal challenge to Illinois’ Digital Asset Tax Act, whose planned start date has been delayed to July 1, 2027.