New York City Mayor Eric Adams has established the Office of Digital Assets and Blockchain Technology to support crypto firms navigating regulations. Signed via Executive Order 57 on October 14, the office aims to coordinate city agencies and foster blockchain pilots. This move positions New York as a more welcoming hub for digital assets despite stringent state rules.
On October 14, 2025, Mayor Eric Adams signed Executive Order 57, immediately creating the Office of Digital Assets and Blockchain Technology within the Mayor’s Office. The unit reports to the city’s Chief Technology Officer and is led by Moises Rendon. Described as the nation’s first municipal office focused on digital assets, it coordinates across city agencies, studies and drafts policy proposals, conducts public education on risks and fraud, and collaborates with the economic development arm on investments and jobs.
This office provides crypto startups and institutions a centralized point of contact at City Hall for pilots, procurement, and resolving regulatory issues spanning multiple bureaus. New York’s BitLicense framework, which governs exchange and custodian licensing, has drawn criticism for high costs and lengthy timelines. While the office cannot alter state laws, it standardizes municipal evaluations of blockchain projects, assists banks with public-sector applications, and liaises with state and federal regulators on ambiguous areas.
Adams, who has advocated for integrating crypto into the city, now has dedicated staff to advance this goal. Internationally, similar initiatives include Hong Kong’s Web3 Task Force formed in 2023 and renewed in 2025, Singapore’s Project Guardian expanded in 2024–2025 for tokenization tests, and Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority established in 2022 with its own licensing rules.
For companies, the office offers a single counterparty to streamline interagency projects, such as custody for vendor payments or tokenized deposits. It could enable pilots in areas like permit registries, automated vendor payments, grants management, and social services delivery, drawing from successful models like Singapore’s tokenized collateral trials.
The office also promotes clearer risk management through public resources on scams and compliance, potentially shortening sales cycles for exchanges and fintechs. However, it lacks licensing authority, cannot override state or federal laws, and its future hinges on budget, staffing, and the administration after Adams’ term ends in January 2026. By concentrating efforts, the office could reduce transaction costs and integrate blockchains into city operations, from identity to payments.