Jerry Brito, who has served as Coin Center’s founding executive director since 2014, will leave the post by the close of 2024. Since Coin Center’s founding in 2014, Brito has been at the forefront of lobbying in favour of clear, pro-crypto policies and he helped lead us through a transformative decade for digital currencies. Described most often as a “think tank,” Coin Center has been at the forefront of moulding Washington’s crypto policies.
The resignation of Brito is coupled with the exit of Robin Weisman — a senior policy counsel and founding staffer alongside Brito. Weisman, who, like Brito, will remain on the board of Coin Center,
In a reflection on the milestone, Jerry Brito said, “It has been a joy of my lifetime to co-create and steward this institution.” He said the organisation was designed in its early days to make certain that Bitcoin had ‘room to grow and prosper. Under Brito, Coin Center has taken on some of its biggest policy battles to date (like tax regulations and privacy).
A New Chapter: Peter Van Valkenburgh Takes the Helm
Starting the first of the year 2025, Coin Center’s director of research, Peter Van Valkenburgh, will take over as the organization’s executive director, and Jerry Brito and Weisman will step down. In a statement accompanying the announcement, Brito stated that he harbours no doubts about Van Valkenburgh as a suitable steward for Coin Center and said that he possessed a deep reservoir of both cryptocurrency experience and constitutional law understanding. Brito spoke highly of his replacement: “Peter is the platonic ideal, as I said; he groks Coin Center’s mission better than anyone.”
Van Valkenburgh is a crypto veteran who has been with the organization for years. His appointment also represents a continuation of the organization’s support for privacy, innovation, and smart regulation in crypto.
The former head of policy, Van Valkenburgh, is moving to an advisory role and will be replaced by Landon Zinda from Coin Center’s team of policy staff. The promotions from within clearly illustrate his success, she said, helping to ensure a seamless handover at a pivotal time for the company.
Fighting for Crypto Rights and Privacy
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For years, Coin Center has been one of the most formidable proponents for the crypto community at large — advocating tirelessly to protect the rights of individuals to both innovate with and use decentralized technologies. Among the organization’s main fights has actually been having invasive tax coverage requirements for crypto users. The regulation is organized under the 2021 Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act, which necessitated individuals transacting digital property organizations above $10,000 to publicize their name, Social Security number and residence. Coin Center sued the IRS and Treasury Department in 2022 over this requirement, arguing that it was unconstitutional.
First dismissed, the lawsuit was reinstated in 2023 by a U.S. appeals court after finding that Coin Center’s claims of privacy rights were enough to justify rehearing arguments. It also speaks to how essential this work is to the organization and, therefore, a cause that Jerry Brito has been involved with since its infancy.
Tornado Cash, a controversial crypto mixing service recently sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), was also defended by Coin Center. The sanctions led to questions regarding the interplay between confidentiality, avoidance and government oversight. Coin Center is still working to combat regulations they believe will unfairly hinder the use of blockchain technology, even though a court sided with the U.S. government.
What’s Next for Jerry Brito and Robin Weisman?
Neither has specified what he will do outside of the executive suite; it’s just that Jerry Brito and Weisman are stepping down. Therefore, they will continue to contribute insight and direction to the organization as members of Coin Center’s board of directors.
As Senior Policy Counsel, Robin Weisman has played a key role in helping to craft Coin Center’s public policy efforts. She concludes optimistically about the future of the organization: “I am thankful for having been given an opportunity to build Coin Center and appreciate my team’s dedication to its cause.”
Conclusion
Although the leaving of Jerry Brito and Robin Weisman, in many ways, last but not least, signals the end of an epoch for Coin Center, its leadership transition is well-planned to march on fighting for the cryptocurrency community. Coin Center will be led by Peter Van Valkenburgh through a dynamic regulatory environment as legal questions continue to emerge. Or, as Jerry Brito himself put it: “The battle is far from over.” The significance of the Coin Center’s efforts to help grow and protect blockchain technologies in the U.S. can not be understated.
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