The Digital Asset Transfer Authority (DATA) has partnered with bipartisan Washington, DC-based Prime Policy Group to assist in the day-to-day operations of the Authority and help oversee its educational, policy and industry outreach activities.
Under the agreement, Prime Policy’s Chris Mitchell will serve as the Executive Director of DATA. “We are thrilled to have the support of Prime Policy Group during this period of incredible advancement for DATA and the digital asset industry,” said Edan Yago, CEO of Epiphyte and member of DATA’s board of directors. “With Prime Policy’s expertise and resources, DATA is now well-equipped to carry out its mission of strengthening public trust in crypto-currencies and other digital assets through critical engagement with policymakers, influencers and consumers themselves.”
Established in November 2013, DATA is a US-registered 501(c)(6) focused on spearheading the development of best practices and industry-wide initiatives for companies in the emerging field of digital assets. Digital assets include digital, asset-backed and cryptographic currencies like Bitcoin, Ripple and Ven, along with the emerging ecosystem of distributed ledgers, payment innovations, fiscal tools, and P2P products enabled by these new Internet technologies.
DATA acts as a critical feedback mechanism between public and private stakeholders to ensure viability of the public policy balance in laws and regulation governing digital assets.
“Since its founding just a year ago, DATA has quickly become the digital asset industry’s primary global facilitator for internal and external engagement on the issues that threaten to slow or promise to accelerate the adoption of crypto-currencies and other digital assets,” said Chris Mitchell of Prime Policy Group. “I’m honored to serve as DATA’s first executive director, and look forward to helping DATA’s board of directors achieve the organization’s ambitious goals.”
One of Washington’s top government relations firms, Prime Policy Group offers strategic consulting and government relations for a diverse clientele that includes Fortune 500 companies, multinationals, small and mid-sized companies, trade and industry associations, foreign governments, state governments and municipalities.
Prime Policy is a subsidiary of the global public relations agency Burson-Marstellar and its parent company, the WPP Group. Prime Policy Group President and CEO Scott Pastrick commented, “We welcome the opportunity to leverage our firm’s considerable experience to help build DATA’s organizational capacity both in and outside Washington. To this end, we will be working with our sister companies in the WPP Group to further extend DATA’s reach and impact. ”
Today, digital assets account for more than $7 billion in present economic value, with the market expected to create more than $1 trillion in new value by 2016. DATA’s membership is currently comprised of over 40 firms and individuals worldwide.