The Blockchain Association (BA), the leading lobbying group for the U.S. cryptocurrency industry, announced on September 25 that CEO Summer Mersinger will step down effective October 16. Beginning October 17, Kristin Smith—the association’s former CEO who currently serves as board chair—will take the helm as interim CEO.

The leadership change was announced just 10 days after the CLARITY Act, a crypto market structure bill, hit a procedural wall in the Senate. The bill was one of BA’s top policy priorities in Washington, and industry observers widely view the legislative impasse as a key factor behind the leadership transition.

Mersinger resigned mid-term from her position as a commissioner at the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading…