Ripple exec joins Blockchain Association

One of Ripple’s top-level executives has joined the Blockchain Association as a co-chair.

Ben Melnicki – who currently serves as Americas head of regulatory affairs at Ripple – only joined the company back in October.

He has now followed in the footsteps of Michelle Bond, global head of government relations, who is also a part of the non-profit organisation.

The Blockchain Association is the self-proclaimed “unified voice for the blockchain industry” and is made up of advocates for the technology based across the globe.

Its primary objective has been to work in tandem with legislators and regulators to help define specific digital tokens and make them exempt from US securities laws.

Earlier this month, the association launched the ‘Securities Law Working Group‘ before revealing Melnicki will help spearhead the initiative as a co-chair.

Speaking on joining the group, Melnicki tweeted:

“Looking forward to working with the Blockchain Association and its members to provide regulatory clarity on this critical issue for the industry and market participants!”

Other members of the group include Georgia Quinn, general counsel at CoinList; Ian Darrow, counsel at Protocol Labs; and Craig Salm, a director at Grayscale who will be the other co-chair.

Speaking on the launch of the group, the Blockchain Association wrote:

“The Securities Law Working Group will catalyse and coordinate these ongoing efforts across the open blockchain industry. Properly defining these assets is vital if the broader open blockchain economy is to grow to its full potential here in the United States.”

Interested in reading more Ripple-related stories? Discover more about how CEO Brad Garlinghouse hopes to bring banks and institutions into the cryptocurrency industry.