ADAM Board and Membership Expand as Digital Asset Market Integrity Standards Drive Conversations in Washington

The Association for Digital Asset Markets (“ADAM” or “the Association”), just announced that cryptocurrency exchanges FTX and FTX US, digital asset investment firm Multicoin Capital, and cryptocurrency trading platform Robinhood Crypto have joined ADAM’s Board of Directors as the Association continues to expand its diverse membership and forge new strategic partnerships. ADAM’s growth comes at a critical time, as the burgeoning digital assets industry continues to drive conversations among lawmakers and regulators, underscoring the need for sophisticated standards-setting and effective industry representation in Washington D.C.

“This expansion reflects an increased appetite among digital asset stakeholders to set the industry standard for ethical market conduct and engage in sophisticated outreach to Washington. Robinhood Crypto, FTX, FTX US, and Multicoin Capital’s leadership as board members and our new slate of members will be invaluable in furthering ADAM’s mission to promote efficient, fair, and orderly digital asset markets,” said ADAM Board President and Head of Digital Assets at Hudson River Trading, Brad Vopni. “Recent activity in Washington has shown that the digital asset industry needs to be organized and proactive in nurturing positive engagement with lawmakers and regulators. Additionally, it is necessary to set standards in this novel field. Our mission is more important than ever—and our Board, members, and strategic member partners are critical to our success.”

ADAM is the industry’s leading standard-setting and self-regulatory association, seeking to build a stronger and more efficient digital asset marketplace. With a broad-based membership structure modeled after a self-regulatory organization, every member of the association agrees to adhere to the ADAM Code of Conduct — a set of global principles that promotes integrity, fairness, and order in digital asset markets; complements existing regulation; and is widely accepted as the global market standard.

“We believe in ADAM because it is important to advance the discussion around a clear regulatory framework for digital assets and to set industry best practices,” said Sam Bankman-Fried, CEO and Founder of FTX. “As digital asset markets continue to grow and innovate, ensuring that leading market participants are actively involved in policy discussions will be crucial to creating an environment where technology can flourish, and consumers are protected.”

“Multicoin Capital is proud to join ADAM’s Board alongside other like-minded firms that are equally committed to market integrity. We all share the common goal of advancing the digital assets industry and believe it’s imperative that companies in it have a role in shaping the principles that guide innovation and market activity,” said Kyle Samani, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Multicoin Capital.

“We are tremendously excited to join ADAM. There is much work to be done to advance a regulatory framework for digital asset markets, and we look forward to joining ADAM’s efforts,” said Dan Gallagher, Chief Legal & Corporate Affairs Officer at Robinhood.

ADAM’s new leadership and expanded membership further cements the Association as the leading standard-setting body for digital asset markets at a time when scrutiny of the industry is intensifying.

Expanding Membership

ADAM’s membership roster includes the industry’s leading firms. The organizations joining ADAM include CoinFund, the Digital Asset Council of Financial Professionals, Hxro Foundation, Robinhood Crypto, Solidus Capital, and Symphony as new members, in addition to Anderson Kill, Mayer Brown LLP, and McGonigle, P.C. as strategic legal partners.

“At CoinFund, we are excited to help shape the future of blockchain so that the world can realize the promise of web3. In line with this, standards, and policy matter. We look forward to working with the ADAM team to advance these initiatives in Washington and beyond,” said Chris Perkins, President of CoinFund.

“I firmly believe that crypto markets are the way of the future. However, work remains to allow governments to open markets up to a wider retail audience. I am excited to be a part of this organization that broadens market and consumer protections,” said Ric Edelman, CEO of the Digital Assets Council of Financial Professionals and noted leading Independent Financial Advisor.

“Decentralized finance and crypto derivatives are rapidly growing areas that now need policy guidance and standards-setting. The Hxro Foundation is looking forward to embarking on this journey with ADAM and its members to work collaboratively with policymakers to establish guidelines and consumer protections that also let the industry evolve and grow,” said Dan Gunsberg, Co-Founder and Director of Hxro Foundation.

“As market infrastructure evolves, we are excited to partner with ADAM to shape and scale the future of digital asset markets. At Symphony we are committed to standardize, automate and innovate financial services workflows and digital assets are a key part of the puzzle,” said Brad Levy, Chief Executive Officer at Symphony.

“Market integrity is key to broader adoption of digital assets. I look forward to implementing the ADAM Code and continuing to find ways to improve market functioning,” said Betsabe Botaitis, CEO at Solidus Capital.

“The next few years will be key to ensuring a proper regulatory framework is developed for digital assets. We are excited to work with ADAM on its important policy and standards-setting mission,” said Stephen Palley, Partner and Chair of Anderson Kill’sTechnology, Media and Distributed Systems Group.

“ADAM is tasked with and is highly focused on building trust in the digital asset marketplace. I’m looking forward to working with its members to promote integrity, fairness, and efficiency in the financial markets of the future,” said Stephen Gannon, Partner and Shareholder at McGonigle, P.C.

About the Association for Digital Asset Markets (ADAM)

The Association for Digital Asset Markers is a private, non-profit, membership-based association of firms operating in the digital asset markets and is a standards-setting body and self-governing association committed to promoting market integrity and best practices. ADAM works with leading financial firms, entrepreneurs, and regulators to develop industry best practices that facilitate fair and orderly digital asset markets. In this vein, ADAM’s objectives are to: (1) protect market participants from fraud and manipulation; (2) provide clear standards for efficient trading, custody, and the clearing and settlement of digital assets; (3) encourage professionalism and ethical conduct by market participants; and (4) increase transparency and provide information to the public and governments about digital asset markets. In furtherance of this, ADAM released a principles-based Code of Conduct in late 2019 that sets certain standards of professional conduct for ADAM members.

ADAM consists of a broad-based industry group that includes a wide variety of market participants, including trading platforms, custodians, investors, asset managers, traders, liquidity providers, and brokers. ADAM members are firms that are active in digital asset markets or seek to participate in those markets.

Image by Casey Horner on Unsplash

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