Eric Adams, the self-proclaimed “Bitcoin Mayor” of New York, has just created the very first American municipal office dedicated to digital assets and blockchain. A bold gesture which marks his exit from the stage before the change of guard planned for January.
In brief
- New York Mayor Creates Office of Digital Assets and Blockchain Technology, a First in the United States.
- Moises Rendon, blockchain policy advisor since 2024, will head this new structure.
- Adams will leave office in January 2026 after abandoning his re-election campaign last September.
- This office aims to attract crypto investments and make New York “the digital asset capital of the world.”
New York launches blockchain office, a first in the United States
Eric Adams signed Executive Order No. 57 on Tuesday, creating the Office of Digital Assets and Blockchain Technology.
This structure, reporting directly to the mayor's office, will be led by Moises Rendon, a former blockchain policy advisor who has worked at the Office of Innovation and Technology since 2024.
“ Our national-first Office of Digital Assets and Blockchain will help make us the digital asset capital of the world ” Adams said on X.
The objective is clear: attract talent and capital from the crypto industry to the Big Apple. To achieve this, the office will first create a commission of digital asset leaders responsible for guiding its work.
This initiative follows the launch of a digital asset consultancy last May. At the time, Adams also discussed using blockchain to manage birth and death records. He even called for the abolition of the controversial BitLicense, this New York regulation known for its excessive rigor.
The timing of this announcement is striking. Adams abandoned his re-election campaign at the end of September, citing “media speculation” and the blocking of millions of dollars by the campaign finance council. His legal troubles and the tense political climate had made his candidacy “untenable”.
An uncertain legacy for the “Bitcoin mayor”
Adams had built a reputation as a staunch supporter of Bitcoin in 2022, accepting his first salaries in bitcoin and Ethereum.
With the surge in prices since then, he did not fail to address the skeptics: “Who is laughing now? » This posture earned him the nickname “Bitcoin Mayor”, which he carried like a standard throughout his mandate.
But the future of this pro-crypto policy remains uncertain. According to prediction markets like Polymarket, Zohran Mamdani has around an 88% chance of winning the November election.
Andrew Cuomo, former governor of New York running as an independent, comes in second with a 10% probability. Neither has displayed the same enthusiasm for cryptocurrencies as Adams.
The city comptroller, Brad Lander, had also described certain proposals from Adams, notably the idea of a Bitcoin obligation for New York, as “legally questionable and fiscally irresponsible”. This opposition illustrates the divide that persists within the municipal administration on these issues.
In short, New York is equipping itself with an industrial policy instrument in the crypto era. If the next administration maintains the momentum, the office can become an engine of jobs, capital attraction and useful innovation. For Bitcoin and tokenized finance, New York clarity could tip the scales… beyond the symbol.
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