Lauren Belive, a former official in the White House Office of Legislative Affairs and policy director of the U.S. House Rules Committee, has taken on a role as the head of U.S. public policy and government at Ripple, a cryptocurrency company.
Belive announced her new position on September 26 via a LinkedIn post, emphasizing the importance of advocating for cryptocurrency policies that support the industry and its various stakeholders. She brings with her a wealth of experience, having held similar positions at companies like SoftBank Group Corp., Zoom, and Lyft.
Her appointment comes as Ripple is involved in a legal battle with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over the status of its XRP token. While the case is ongoing, a judge's ruling in July indicated that XRP was not predominantly a security, impacting the broader cryptocurrency industry.
Many prominent U.S. cryptocurrency firms are intensifying their efforts to engage with lawmakers to address regulatory concerns and achieve clarity in the space. For instance, Coinbase has initiated a "Pro-Crypto" campaign encouraging users to support crypto-friendly candidates in both state and federal elections.
Currently, U.S. lawmakers are facing a division over a spending bill aimed at preventing a government shutdown beyond September 30. This disagreement could potentially delay the voting on several cryptocurrency bills in the House of Representatives unless a resolution is reached within a week.
