Ripple Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty Says U.S. Congress Must End Crypto Uncertainty

Washington has a narrow window to deliver clear U.S. crypto rules, Ripple Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty argues, urging lawmakers to “finish the job on crypto clarity.”

In an op-ed published Monday on RealClearMarkets, Alderoty said the Securities and Exchange Commission has for the first time listed crypto clarity among its top priorities — signaling that “the time has come” for predictable oversight. He framed the issue as mainstream, not niche, pointing to consumer adoption and polling that shows broad support for stronger guardrails.

Alderoty cited several data points to make the case.

A National Cryptocurrency Association (NCA) survey with Harris Poll found roughly one in five U.S. adults owns crypto. Pew Research reported that a majority of Americans lack confidence that current ways to invest, trade or use crypto are reliable and safe. And a YouGov poll showed more Americans favor tighter crypto regulation than looser rules.

He also referenced Chainalysis estimates that Americans transacted more than $1 trillion in digital assets in 2024, spanning uses from payments to savings.

“The absence of clear, consistent rules doesn’t make crypto go away,” Alderoty wrote, warning it pushes activity to jurisdictions moving faster. He argued that clarity would both protect consumers and give responsible firms certainty to build in the U.S.

Alderoty is also president of the National Cryptocurrency Association, a crypto education nonprofit launched on March 5 with a $50 million grant from Ripple. The NCA says it aims to boost literacy and safe adoption through explainers and user stories, and its polling finds most current users want to learn more about the technology.

With Congress weighing market-structure legislation after this summer’s stablecoin law, Alderoty cast the fall session as a pivotal moment. “The opportunity is in front of us. The mandate is already there,” he wrote, adding that lawmakers can “prove to Americans that Washington can, in fact, deliver clarity where it’s needed most.”

He concluded that finishing the rules would keep innovation onshore and ensure the U.S. leads in shaping future financial infrastructure.