NYDFS Superintendent Adrienne Harris to Step Down Next Month

New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) Superintendent Adrienne Harris will depart her role on October 17, 2025, Governor Kathy Hochul announced. Harris, a former Obama administration official, spearheaded crypto regulation through NYDFS's BitLicense framework during her four-year tenure.

Executive Deputy Superintendent Kaitlin Asrow will serve as acting head. Under Harris's leadership, NYDFS issued 11 regulatory guidance updates to modernize the BitLicense regime, which has governed crypto firms in New York since 2015. "We rebuilt the Department into a regulator fit for the financial capital of the world," Hochul said in a statement.

Harris reflected on the industry's transformation during her tenure at the Digital Asset Compliance & Market Integrity Summit, noting the dramatic evolution of crypto markets since BitLicense's inception. The regulatory framework remains foundational for digital asset businesses operating in New York.