Circle, a stablecoin issuer, has appointed Heath Tarbert, a former CFTC chairman, as its new Chief Legal Officer and Head of Corporate Affairs. Tarbert, a veteran legal advisor with experience in all three branches of the federal government, will guide Circle’s global expansion.
This is a critical crossroads for blockchain technology, as we start to see regulators making some movements, Tarbert said. But we [also] are actually seeing bipartisan legislation…with the hope of getting something done.
Tarbert’s appointment comes as a House committee weighs a stablecoin bill that would appoint the Federal Reserve as crypto issuers’ primary regulator, and increase oversight of token issuances. His mission to guide the company’s strategy abroad also comes as many crypto firms look to plant roots in foreign markets as U.S. regulatory attitudes toward the crypto industry continue to sour.
Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire celebrated Tarbert’s appointment in a Thursday press release. As we continue building a bridge between traditional finance and Web3, Heath’s perspective, legal acumen, and global regulatory experience will help us advance the utility value of USDC worldwide, Allaire said in a statement.