Summer Mersinger, a former commissioner of the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission, announced she will resign as chief executive of the Blockchain Association at the end of the year. Her departure follows a legislative defeat for the group’s central policy objective.

The association confirmed on Friday that Mersinger’s tenure will conclude on October 16. At that point, Kristin Smith, who previously led the organization and now serves as president of the Solana Policy Institute, will assume an interim chief executive role while continuing her existing responsibilities.

Mersinger joined the Blockchain Association in June 2025 after completing three years of a second term at the CFTC, which was set to expire later that year. In a statement released at the time of her exit, she said she had accepted the position because she believed the digital asset industry required clear regulatory frameworks and a unified voice to advocate for them in Washington.

The organization highlighted her contributions to advancing the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins Act, commonly referred to as the GENIUS Act, and her role in seeking regulatory clarity from both the Securities and Exchange Commission and the CFTC. It did not reference the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, a separate proposal under consideration in the Senate that the association had previously urged lawmakers to back.

The clarification bill failed to secure sufficient support in a recent cloture vote, with opposition from members of both parties. Analysts noted the outcome likely postpones consideration of the measure until the following legislative session.

A spokesperson for the Blockchain Association did not provide details about Mersinger’s plans beyond the transition period. The organization has not indicated whether Smith’s interim leadership will be extended or whether a permanent successor will be named in the near term.

Mersinger’s exit marks the latest leadership shift for the association, which has faced increasing scrutiny over its policy priorities and coalition-building efforts in a fragmented regulatory environment.