Robin Weisman

Overview

Weisman’s work focuses on financial services and engagement with legislators and regulators. She helped establish Coin Center Coin CenterCoin Center is a nonprofit cryptocurrency policy research and advocacy organization founded in 2014 and based in Washington, D.C. Co-founded by Jerry Brito and Robin Weisman, it works on digital assets, financial privacy and software developers’ rights through research, policy education, regulatory comments and litigation.Open the full entry and worked on cryptocurrency policy there. When checked in October 2026, its website continued to list her as a co-founder and board member.⁠[1][2]

Contents13 sections

Key facts

1997Law School Graduation

American University Washington College of Law identifies Robin Mahler Weisman with its class of 1997. Nasdaq’s appointment announcement confirms that she graduated from the law school and Kenyon College.⁠[3][4]

September 18, 2006Appointed Nasdaq Director of Government Relations

Nasdaq appointed Weisman director of government relations, covering federal, state and local policy. Its announcement said she had been counsel in Akin Gump’s public law and policy practice and had worked for Senator Howard Metzenbaum and volunteered on judicial nominations in the Clinton White House counsel’s office.⁠[4]

February 10, 2011Participates in SEC Market-Structure Discussion

An SEC memorandum records a meeting between its staff, Weisman of Sternhell Group, and Hudson River Trading president Adam Nunes. They discussed the market-structure concept release S7-02-10 and other matters. The document records participation and discussion topics, rather than regulatory approval of a proposal.⁠[5]

2014Helps Found Coin Center

Weisman helped found the research and advocacy organization Coin Center and later served as senior policy counsel. Its 2024 leadership announcement marked its tenth anniversary and addressed the transition from her day-to-day work alongside that of executive director Jerry Brito Jerry BritoJerry Brito is a technology policy researcher, co-founder and board member of Coin Center, and its executive director from 2014 through 2024. Previously, he directed technology policy research at George Mason University’s Mercatus Center. His work addresses Bitcoin, financial regulation, payment privacy, open-source software and civil liberties. He also co-hosts the books podcast Worker & Parasite.Open the full entry.⁠[6][1]

January 14, 2016Discusses Policy Knowledge Gaps at Brookings

At a Brookings blockchain event, Weisman said Washington policymakers were willing to learn but faced a knowledge gap with technologists. She emphasized understanding how consumer protection, anti-money-laundering and customer-identification objectives relate to decentralized technology.⁠[7]

March 17, 2016Appears on the Steptoe Cyberlaw Podcast

Episode 105 of the Steptoe Cyberlaw Podcast featured Weisman and Peter Van Valkenburgh discussing Bitcoin policy. The host’s published notes identified policymaker education, Bitcoin regulation, and differences between open and private blockchains among the subjects.⁠[8]

March 9, 2018Credited for Work on Wyoming HB70 Draft

In a retrospective on Wyoming blockchain legislation, Caitlin Long credited Van Valkenburgh and Weisman with providing the initial draft of HB70. Long also acknowledged legislators, lawyers and other contributors; the credit does not make Weisman its sole author or legislative sponsor.⁠[9]

July 16, 2018a16z Publishes Crypto-Regulation Discussion

a16z published a regulatory discussion hosted by Sonal Chokshi with Weisman and Katie Haun. Its description says the recording came from the April 2018 Intro to Crypto event organized by a16z and #Angels; July 16 was the publication date, while the discussion took place in April.⁠[10]

December 31, 2020Criticizes Short Wallet-Rule Comment Period

In a signed article, Weisman described a letter from nine bipartisan members of Congress asking Treasury to extend a proposed cryptocurrency rule’s 15-day comment period to 60 days. She endorsed the procedural criticism and said Coin Center also opposed the proposal’s substance. These were her and the organization’s positions at the time.⁠[11]

September 30, 2024Announces Year-End Transition from Daily Policy Work

Coin Center announced that Weisman would leave her day-to-day senior policy counsel role at the end of 2024 while remaining on its board alongside Jerry Brito. Peter Van Valkenburgh would become executive director on January 1, 2025. Her transition concerned a different position from the executive-director succession.⁠[6]