US Crypto Regulator Adrienne Harris Steps Down Amid Industry Transformation

Another regulatory domino falls as digital assets continue their relentless march toward mainstream adoption.

The Resignation Impact

Adrienne Harris's departure from her position as top US crypto regulator sends shockwaves through financial circles—though seasoned crypto veterans barely blinked. Her exit comes at a pivotal moment when traditional finance institutions are scrambling to catch up with blockchain innovation.

Regulatory Musical Chairs

Washington's revolving door keeps spinning while Bitcoin's network keeps hashing. The timing couldn't be more symbolic—just as legacy systems grapple with understanding decentralized protocols, their appointed gatekeepers are already moving on. Another reminder that in crypto, the code is the real regulation.

Market barely noticed another bureaucrat leaving—too busy counting new all-time highs.

Top Crypto Regulator Steps Down from NY Role

In a press release, Hochul touted Harris’s role in “rebuilding the Department into a regulator fit for the financial capital of the world.” “I’d like to thank Superintendent Harris for her four years of service at DFS, working every day to make our financial system work for New Yorkers, while also rebuilding the Department into a regulator fit for the financial capital of the world,” Governor Hochul said.

The NY Governor went on to confirm that Kaitlin Asrow will serve as Acting Superintendent of the Department of Financial Services, effective October 18, 2025. “Between her time at the Federal Reserve, Financial Health Network, and within DFS, Kaitlin is well-suited to lead the Department into the future, expanding access to affordable financial services for all New Yorkers while ensuring our great state continues to be a center for responsible innovation.”

Throughout Harris’s career and tenure as the superintendent, she helped lay down enforcement actions against leading companies such as Coinbase and Genesis, while advancing regulation around technology such as stablecoin issuance on blockchains like ethereum and Solana. Furthermore, new guidance around blockchain, as well as other frontier technologies including artificial intelligence from the Trump Administration changed Harris’s role and expectations.

In a Monday interview with Politico, Adrienne Harris said that she plans to take time off before finding her next gig. “My checking account will tell me how much time I get,” she joked. “Since we published our original guidance in 2023, we’ve seen through our ongoing supervision more companies enter the space, more assets under custody, and more sub-custodial relationships,” Harris added. “To protect consumers invested in digital assets, we wanted to ensure our expectations remain clear relative to these sub-custodial relationships.”