Avalanche names UK legislator in policy council as US, UK, Australia, Korea advance crypto legislation

The Avalanche policy coalition has set up a five-person council, with designs to influence global digital asset laws. The council will advocate for clear regulations for the different types of digital assets, simplify crypto issuer regulation for governments, and protect global internet access. 

The U.S. is working on pushing through market structure legislation to regulate the crypto industry following the passing of the GENIUS Act. Across the pond, the EU’s MiCA implementation is in the final stages, while Japan’s 2026 financial reforms are also underway.

What are the main goals of the Avalanche policy council for 2026?

The Avalanche Policy Coalition has announced a new advisory council that is designed to influence digital asset laws across the globe. This council is led by Lee Schneider, the General Counsel of Ava Labs. 

The council’s primary members include Chris Holmes, a member of the UK House of Lords, and several senior executives. These executives are Bart Smith, the CEO of Avalanche Treasury Co., Laine Litman, the COO of Avalanche Treasury Co., and Jolie Kahn, the CEO of Avax One Technology.

Lee Schneider described the launch as a “watershed moment.” He explained that the Avalanche ecosystem now operates through Ava Labs, the Avalanche Foundation, and two specialized treasury companies. 

These groups being together in one council means that the Avalanche ecosystem can ensure that all parts are “rowing in the same direction” regarding global policy and the future of blockchain technology.

The advisory council has identified three core priorities to focus on throughout 2026. 

First, the council will focus on creating clear rules for how different types of digital assets are labeled by the law. Currently, some countries view tokens as securities, while others view them as commodities or currencies. The council wants to find “global synergy” so that a token launched in one country does not face completely different rules when it is used in another.

Second, the group will work on defining “intermediaries.” This refers to the businesses and platforms that help people buy, sell, or hold crypto. The council aims to help governments understand exactly who should be regulated and how. If these definitions are too strict or too vague, it can stop innovation or lead to unfair legal trouble for developers.

Third, the council is dedicated to protecting access to the internet on a global scale. Blockchain technology relies on an open and free internet. The group plans to advocate for policies that prevent governments from restricting the web in ways that would hurt decentralized networks.

Lee Schneider clarified that the goal is not to make every country have the exact same laws, but to promote shared principles. 

How are major governments changing their crypto laws right now?

Lawmakers in the U.S. are currently working to regulate the entire crypto industry following the successful passage of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act in the summer of 2025.

The GENIUS Act created a federal framework for stablecoins, officially clarified that they are not “securities” or “commodities,” and moved them under the oversight of banking regulators rather than the SEC or CFTC. Today, the SEC and CFTC are working together on defining boundaries as they modernize rules for other digital assets.

The European Union is currently in the final stages of implementing its Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation. Many companies are currently in a “grandfathering” period, which allows them to continue operating under old national laws. However, this period will end on July 1, 2026. After that date, all crypto service providers in the EU must have full MiCA authorization to stay in business.

The UK government is developing a new regulatory environment that is scheduled to come into full force in October 2027. Lord Chris Holmes, who is part of the new Avalanche council, recently spoke in the House of Lords about the need to separate stablecoins from unbacked assets like Bitcoin in the law. He argued that treating them the same way could “stifle” the UK stablecoin industry.

The Japanese government is preparing to reclassify crypto assets as “financial products” under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (FIEA). Crypto will then be under the same strict rules as traditional stocks and bonds. As part of this trade-off, Japan is considering a plan to lower the tax rate on crypto gains from as high as 55% down to 20%.

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