TLDR
- Avalanche forms advisory council led by Ava Labs General Counsel Lee Schneider
- Council to define token classification and intermediaries in 2026
- Members include UK lawmaker and top Avalanche ecosystem executives
- Global crypto rules vary, with EU, UK, and Japan setting distinct approaches
The Avalanche Policy Coalition has announced the formation of a new advisory council that will help shape global blockchain and crypto regulations. The move comes at a time when governments around the world are developing new frameworks for digital assets.
In a significant move for blockchain governance, the Avalanche Policy Coalition officially launched its inaugural advisory council on March 15, 2025, marking a pivotal moment for coordinated cryptocurrency regulation.https://t.co/fcEuFDqQDu pic.twitter.com/xtaJFPX87S
— BitcoinWorld Media (@ItsBitcoinWorld) February 3, 2026
The advisory council will focus on three goals in 2026: defining how tokens are classified, identifying what counts as an intermediary, and protecting access to the internet. According to a statement, the council includes leaders from the Avalanche ecosystem as well as public sector representatives.
Leadership and Members of the Council
The council is chaired by Lee Schneider, General Counsel at Ava Labs. Other members include Chris Holmes, a member of the UK House of Lords; Bart Smith and Laine Litman from Avalanche Treasury Co.; and Jolie Kahn, CEO of Avax One Technology.
Schneider explained that the formation of the council was driven by the consolidation of key Avalanche-related entities: Ava Labs, the Avalanche Foundation, and two treasury arms. “So the idea was that we’re all rowing in the same direction from a policy perspective,” he said in an interview.
This coordinated approach aims to ensure that policy decisions align across the Avalanche ecosystem and with broader global blockchain goals.
Crypto Regulation Momentum Builds Globally
The council launch comes as U.S. lawmakers push forward new crypto legislation. A bill to regulate stablecoins passed over the summer, and now broader crypto laws are being considered. Agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) are also updating their own rules.
Outside the U.S., countries are progressing at different speeds. The European Union is implementing its Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), while the United Kingdom is preparing its own rules to take effect in 2027. Japan, which has long had crypto regulation, is updating its system as well.
Schneider noted the importance of aligning laws across countries to avoid legal confusion for blockchain companies. “If things are too different in major jurisdictions…you end up with this disjunction between how things work,” he said.
Global Collaboration and Internet Access
The council also aims to protect access to the internet, which is a critical infrastructure for the crypto and blockchain ecosystem. With increasing regulatory attention, ensuring that decentralized technologies remain reachable and functional is a top priority.
Although the council’s work is focused on Avalanche, Schneider said that the goal is also to support the broader crypto and blockchain industry. “The top item for us is to make sure that there’s some global synergy in the regulations and laws,” he said.
While not pushing for identical rules worldwide, Schneider explained that general shared principles would support innovation and reduce costs for blockchain firms operating internationally.
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