Gemini joins trade association Crypto Council for Innovation

The Crypto Council for Innovation, a trade association launched early in 2021 to lobby for the crypto industry, is welcoming crypto exchange operator Gemini into its roster. 

Sheila Warren, formerly of the World Economic Forum, joined the CCI as CEO at the beginning of the month. The CCI’s announcement credits Warren with bringing Gemini into the fold. 

“As a CCI member, we will continue to partner closely with policymakers and regulators around the world to help build a bridge to the future of cryptocurrency,” said Gemini’s head of policy Ji Kim in a statement.

Block (then known as Square), Coinbase and Fidelity Digital Assets initially launched the CCI, following which Paradigm, Andreessen Horowitz and Ribbit Capital joined its membership. Based on the profile of the firms involved in its launch, it was the subject of a flurry of press reports.

However, the CCI’s actual activities in 2021 were limited by the absence of full-time staff. Likely its most memorable moment so far was in June 2021, when it hosted “The ₿ Word,” a panel discussion including Jack Dorsey, CEO of Block. That was around the time that Gus Coldebella, who had been leading CCI, left his main role as General Counsel at Paradigm. 

Despite the CCI’s limited activity, members have maintained independent lobbying programs. Most notably, Coinbase is setting the pace for crypto exchange lobbying, though Gemini also got involved near the end of 2021.