Latest news with #KristinSmith
CNA
14-05-2025
- Business
- CNA
CFTC commissioner to join Blockchain Association as CEO
The Blockchain Association said on Wednesday that current Commodity Futures Trading Commission Commissioner Summer Mersinger will join the trade group as CEO in June, as the cryptocurrency sector ramps up its push to overhaul digital asset policy. Sarah Milby, the Blockchain Association's head of policy, will serve as interim CEO until Mersinger assumes the role on June 2. The group's current CEO Kristin Smith is stepping down Friday to join the Solana Policy Institute. The CFTC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mersinger's office also did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Blockchain Association said in a release that Mersinger's last day at the CFTC would be May 30. Mersinger, a Republican appointed to be a commissioner in 2022 by former President Joe Biden, had been in the mix to lead the CFTC until President Donald Trump tapped former official and crypto executive Brian Quintenz as chairman instead. Trump on the campaign trail pledged to be a "crypto president" and courted cash from the industry by promising to promote the adoption of digital assets. In his first week in office, Trump ordered the creation of a cryptocurrency working group to propose digital asset regulations. In March, he signed an executive order to create a federal stockpile of bitcoin. The crypto industry is pushing for Congress to pass legislation to create new rules for cryptocurrencies. That effort faced a setback last week when a bill intended to provide a regulatory framework for stablecoins - a type of cryptocurrency pegged to the U.S. dollar - failed to clear a hurdle in the U.S. Senate.
The Hill
06-05-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Crypto industry urges Senate to move forward with floor debate on stablecoin bill
Three major crypto trade associations are urging the Senate to bring stablecoin legislation to the floor for debate this week, even as crypto-friendly Democrats threaten to vote down the bill over recent moves by Republican leadership. The heads of Blockchain Association, Crypto Council for Innovation and The Digital Chamber called on senators to support a motion to consider the GENIUS Act, the upper chamber's bill to create a regulatory framework for payment stablecoins. 'A comprehensive regulatory framework will enable widespread and increased stablecoin adoption, which is essential to cementing U.S. dollar dominance in the digital economy,' Blockchain Association's Kristin Smith, Crypto Council for Innovation's Ji Kim and The Digital Chamber's Cody Carbone said in a statement Tuesday. 'We are grateful for the significant strides the GENIUS Act has already made, and we hope to see meaningful refinements to further ensure U.S. leadership in digital finance,' they added. The GENIUS Act currently sits in a precarious position, as Senate leadership prepares to bring the bill to the floor Thursday. However, nine Democrats pulled their support for the legislation over the weekend, saying they could not vote for the current version. The pushback comes after Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) moved to expedite consideration of the bill last Thursday. A Democratic aide told the Hill that Democratic lawmakers were surprised by the move and had not seen the latest version of the bill text. 'We have approached this process constructively and with an open mind, with the understanding that additional improvements to the bill would be made,' the senators said in a statement Saturday. 'However, the bill as it currently stands still has numerous issues that must be addressed.' Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Digital Assets Subcommittee, accused Republicans of attempting to force through the legislation without additional negotiation. 'It seems they want us to suck it up and vote for this bill without our input,' he wrote on X. 'That's not what we expected during this negotiation and not how I operate. Our statement makes clear we won't let them jam us. Looking forward to continuing to get this bill to a better place.' Gallego was one of several Senate Banking Democrats who voted to advance the GENIUS Act in March. Similar legislation, called the STABLE Act, also advanced out of the House Financial Services Committee last month. However, crypto legislation appears to be hitting a wall in Washington, particularly as President Trump's growing ties to the industry face scrutiny. House Democrats walked out of a hearing on digital asset market structure legislation Tuesday, after Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) objected over the president and his family's recent crypto dealings. Waters, ranking member on the House Financial Services Committee, sought to block the hearing between the panel and the House Agriculture Committee, taking advantage of a rule requiring unanimous consent for a joint hearing. However, Republicans and some Democrats remained and held a more informal roundtable with the assembled witnesses. Trump and his family have fueled more criticism in recent days, after their crypto firm World Liberty Financial announced that Emirati firm MGX and crypto exchange Binance would use its new stablecoin to complete a $2 billion transaction.
The Citizen
04-05-2025
- Climate
- The Citizen
Watch: Pinetown pipe burst floods preschool
FAMILIES, parents, friends and residents have pulled together to help clear the damage caused by a burst water pipe at Care Bears Wonderland in Pinetown. Kristin Smith from the school said she received a call at about 04:00 saying the school is flooded. 'I called my mom and said we need to get to the school. Also read: Families relive traumatic experiences in the floods 'We got there only to see the devastation that amounts to 20 times worse than the 2022 floods.' The flooding was caused by a huge pipe that burst in Josiah Gumede Road in the early hours of Sunday morning. 'The water diverted to Leeds Crescent and came down to our school and a few neighbouring houses.' Smith said the force of the water was undescribable. 'It was just loads, loads and loads of water. Every single classroom and playgrounds have been affected,' said Smith, adding that only the swimming pool was not affected. 'Walls are broken, everything is submerged under the water, and looking at the damage, the school will be closed for the next few days,' said a sad Smith. Smith estimated that it will cost close to R1m to fix the damage. The school, which looks after 170 children, will be in need of extra hands and other necessities for the next few days. Anyone who wishes to assist can call 083 714 0723. For more from the Highway Mail, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Solana Price Falls But Holds Key Support As Canadian ETF Approval, Institutional Buying Offer Support
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) is trading 5.72% lower Wednesday at $125.21, leading losses across major altcoins after a weeklong rally. The coin is up 18.94% over the past week and trimmed its monthly loss to just 2.18%. Solana's slide follows a broader downturn in digital assets, with SOL, Cardano (CRYPTO: ADA), and Avalanche (CRYPTO: AVAX) leading losses across the altcoin sector. Bitcoin outperformed in the current drawdown, falling just 2.2% over the last 24 hours compared to Solana's 5.6% dip. The pullback is seen as a combination of profit-taking and rising global uncertainty, particularly in Asia where the Japanese yen surged amid bond market volatility. Despite today's selloff, Solana has gained over 17% in the past week and continues to trade near its 50-day moving average, a key technical support level. Don't Miss: Trade crypto futures on Plus500 with up to $200 in bonuses — no wallets, just price speculation and free paper trading to practice different strategies. On the institutional front, Solana scored a small win this week as Canadian regulators approved a series of Solana-based ETFs, according to Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas. The ETFs are set to begin trading this week, marking the first time SOL-backed exchange-traded products will be available in North America. While U.S. regulators have yet to greenlight any Solana ETFs, asset managers including VanEck, Bitwise, and Grayscale have submitted applications. According to Polymarket prediction markets, odds of a U.S. Solana ETF being approved by the end of 2025 currently stand at 82%. In addition to ETF-related headlines, Solana is also making moves on the regulatory front. Decrypt reported that the Solana Policy Institute—a D.C.-based lobbying group focused exclusively on the Solana ecosystem—is preparing to announce a new round of funding. The organization, led by former Blockchain Association CEO Kristin Smith, is seen as part of a broader push to build political infrastructure that could influence future crypto regulation and support institutional adoption of Solana-based products. Real estate financing firm Janover disclosed a $10 million Solana purchase this week, acquiring over 80,000 tokens as part of a treasury strategy focused on digital assets. The move is the latest sign of growing institutional interest in Solana, particularly from non-crypto-native firms. Meanwhile, technical analysis continues to show mixed signals. Solana has been consolidating in a tight range between $125 and $132, with support currently holding at $125.25. The 50-hour moving average at $129.80 and Fibonacci levels near $127.40 remain key zones to watch. Solana is showing strength relative to other altcoins and could be positioned for a move higher if broader conditions stabilize. A breakout above the $132 level would put the $145 zone—recent swing highs—back in play. Despite a pullback in Wednesday's trading, Solana is supported by strong fundamentals, improving institutional adoption, and ETF momentum abroad. If the $125 level continues to hold, and macro conditions improve, SOL could be poised for another leg higher. With Canadian ETF approvals, large institutional purchases, and bullish technical structures still intact, traders are watching to see whether Solana can maintain its outperformance through continued volatility in the crypto market. Related Bonuses: New to crypto? Get up to $400 in rewards for successfully completing short educational courses and placing your first qualifying trade on Coinbase. Trade, earn, and grow your crypto portfolio with — plus receive up to $500 worth of rewards in the most popular tokens if you're a new customer. This article Solana Price Falls But Holds Key Support As Canadian ETF Approval, Institutional Buying Offer Support originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Watertown City Council will discuss pollinator gardens, other issues on Monday night
Apr. 6—WATERTOWN — The City Council will have a busy meeting on Monday night when it considers a series of pending issues that members discussed in recent weeks. Two weeks ago, the council took no action on establishing rules to allow pollinator gardens in the city and approving participation in a state lead rental registry program. Those issues are expected to be voted on during Monday night's council meeting. On March 17, council members tabled the proposed local law that would allow the city codes office to move forward with a series of regulations for pollinator gardens. Pollinators help fertilize plants and produce seeds, fruits and vegetables. A Rutland Street couple has been lobbying the city to allow the gardens in the city. Council members decided to hold off after two people spoke during a public hearing about the city's "No Mow May" initiative to allow pollinator gardens in Watertown. They seemed poised to approve them on Monday night. A resolution regarding a lead inspection program was withdrawn two weeks ago. Council members had asked to make some minor changes before Monday's meeting. Since then, City Attorney Kristin Smith has made the small changes in the resolution that they will be voting on at Monday's meeting. The city's Code Enforcement Office is working with Jefferson County to inspect for lead in rental properties in Watertown that were built before 1980. Jefferson County has received a $554,000 annual grant to address lead exposure concerns in rental units. Council members also will consider two more issues on Monday night. During a March 10 work session, they discussed a program to help residents with basement flooding in neighborhoods in the Western Outfall Trunk Sewer Basin area. Under the program, the city will set aside $350,000 for the pilot program. The city would reimburse residents up to $3,500 to install backwater valve equipment in their basements to help mitigate basement flooding. The targeted area would consist of about 100 basements on Butterfield Avenue and Marra Drive and surrounding streets. Homeowners would buy the backflow prevention devices and hire a licensed plumber or contractor to install the equipment. When surcharging occurs, the device would prevent flooding into basements. In yet in another issue, council is expected to approve a settlement with Dealmaker Dodge, LLC related to paying the full amount in outstanding property taxes for 235 Main Ave. The deal, filed March 27 in state Supreme Court, essentially mirrors terms that Dealmaker's principal, P.J. Simao, had twice offered before litigation was initiated in November 2023. Under terms of the settlement, Dealmaker will pay the full amount of the initial tax claim with interest, as well as all taxes accrued since, totaling $73,267. City Council meets at 7 p.m. on Monday in the third-floor council chambers of City Hall, 245 Washington St.
