A group of pro-crypto Democratic senators will meet with top executives from leading blockchain firms on October 22, signaling renewed momentum toward long-awaited crypto market structure legislation.
The closed-door roundtable, first reported by former Fox Business journalist Eleanor Terrett, is expected to bring together some of the most influential voices in the sector, including leaders from Coinbase, Ripple, Circle, Chainlink, Uniswap, Galaxy, Kraken, and others. According to Terrett’s post on X, the meeting will be chaired by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who has been a vocal advocate for clearer crypto oversight.
Among the invited participants are Brian Armstrong of Coinbase, Sergey Nazarov of Chainlink, Mike Novogratz of Galaxy Digital, David Ripley of Kraken, and Hayden Adams of Uniswap. They’ll be joined by Kristin Smith from the Solana Policy Institute, Dante Disparte of Circle, Stuart Alderoty from Ripple, Rebecca Rettig of Jito, and Miles Jennings, general counsel at a16z Crypto.
Regulatory Landscape and Industry Challenges
The meeting comes at a delicate time for U.S. policymakers. A recently leaked Democratic proposal on decentralized finance (DeFi) triggered strong criticism from industry advocates, exposing rifts between Democrats and Republicans over how to balance innovation with investor protection. Talks on a bipartisan framework have since stalled, leaving the path to regulatory clarity uncertain.
Industry Hopes and Strategic Opportunities
For crypto executives, the roundtable offers a rare chance to present a united front and shape the conversation around digital asset legislation before it regains traction in Congress. Many see it as an opportunity to reset the tone of cooperation after months of political deadlock and mixed messages from federal agencies.
While expectations for immediate outcomes remain modest, the timing of the meeting – just after the end of the government shutdown – suggests that crypto regulation could once again be back on the political agenda.