Why It Matters
The Digital Chamber is the largest U.S. advocacy group for blockchain technology and digital assets, representing over 200 members ranging from crypto exchanges to Fortune 500 companies. The organization has been pressing Congress to establish a comprehensive federal regulatory framework for digital assets, including stablecoin regulation and market structure clarity.
The legislative window appears to be narrowing, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urging Congress in April 2026 to pass a digital asset regulation bill. For an industry that has long operated in regulatory ambiguity, federal clarity on the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) jurisdiction over crypto markets represents the primary legislative goal.
By the Numbers
The first quarter 2026 in-house disclosure is one of three filings that Digital Chamber submitted this quarter. The other two came from outside firms: Chapman and Cutler LLP reported $10,000 for work on digital currency clarity legislation, and Delta Strategy Group reported $0 for monitoring derivatives and securities markets. A new entrant to Digital Chamber's external lobbying roster this quarter, Fulcrum Public Affairs LLC, also filed, reporting $10,000 for work on digital assets and blockchain technology.
Looking back over the past year, Digital Chamber's in-house spending has varied from $123,672 in the second quarter 2025, $116,515 in the third quarter 2025, $192,913 in the fourth quarter 2025, and now up to $221,229 in the first quarter 2026. Total in-house spending over that period comes to $654,329.
The in-house lobbying team for this filing includes 11 registered lobbyists: Zunera Mazhar, Taylor Barr, Hailey Miller, Jonathan Rufrano, Cody Carbone, Sonya Murphy, Kristopher Klaich, Jonathan Schmalfeld, Andres Velasco, Annemarie Tierney, and one unnamed individual. Several lobbyists on the team have prior congressional staff experience. Hailey Miller previously served as a legislative aide in the office of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX). Taylor Barr worked as a research assistant for Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) and interned for Rep. J. French Hill (R-AR). Kristopher Klaich served as a legislative correspondent on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Jonathan Rufrano, Sonya Murphy, and Jonathan Schmalfeld have no congressional staff records on file.
The Agenda
The first quarter 2026 in-house disclosure lists no specific issues lobbied. However, prior filings provide a clear picture of the organization's focus areas. The fourth quarter 2025 and third quarter 2025 in-house filings both listed the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve as the primary issue. The second quarter 2025 amendment cited the CLARITY Act and digital asset market structure. Chapman and Cutler's first quarter 2026 filing specifically identified H.R. 3633, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025, S. 3755, the Digital Commodity Intermediaries Act, and implementation of the GENIUS Act as active lobbying topics this quarter.
Broader Context
The legislative environment for digital assets has shifted considerably. The GENIUS Act, which establishes a federal framework for payment stablecoin regulation, was signed into law as Public Law 119-27. Federal banking agencies are now required to submit implementation reports to Congress within 180 days of the Act's effective date.
Meanwhile, Congress continues to work on broader crypto market structure legislation. Reuters reported in January 2026 that senators unveiled draft legislation to define regulatory jurisdiction over cryptocurrency markets. The Congressional Research Service has noted that Congress is weighing legislation to clarify the respective roles of the SEC and CFTC over crypto markets.
Members of Congress have been engaging with Digital Chamber. Just two days before this filing, Rep. Carol Miller (R-WV), who serves on the House Ways and Means Tax Subcommittee, posted that she had met with the Digital Chamber and Fidelity Investments to discuss tax policy. In July 2025, Rep. Zach Nunn (R-IA) cited Digital Chamber's endorsement of the Financial Technology Protection Act alongside the Blockchain Association.
CEO Cody Carbone also testified before the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs in June 2025, advocating for blockchain adoption in VA systems. "Blockchain is not a buzzword or a speculative asset," Carbone told the committee. "It is infrastructure." He called on Congress to pass modernization legislation so that veterans' benefits could be processed faster and with greater accountability.
The Digital Chamber has also expanded beyond federal lobbying. The Block reported that the organization launched its State Network platform ahead of the 2026 midterms to push for digital asset policies at the state and local level.
The Bottom Line
The Digital Chamber's first quarter 2026 lobbying disclosure reflects a sustained and growing investment in federal advocacy at a moment when key digital asset legislation is moving through Congress. Spending is up, the team has expanded, and a new outside firm has joined the roster. The absence of specific issues in the in-house filing makes it difficult to pinpoint exactly what the team was working on this quarter, but prior filings and congressional activity point to market structure legislation and GENIUS Act implementation as the likely focal points.
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