Solana Policy Institute
Non-profit policy group advancing legal clarity
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About Solana Policy Institute
Solana Policy Institute (SPI) is a non-partisan, non-profit organization founded in 2025 and headquartered in Washington, D.C. Its core business focuses on educating policymakers about decentralized networks, particularly the Solana blockchain, and advocating for clear, technology-neutral legal frameworks. SPI operates across three arenas: Congress (pursuing market structure legislation), federal regulatory agencies (engaging on rulemaking), and the White House (monitoring executive priorities). Activities include policy research, educational initiatives, comment letters, amicus briefs, and public events such as the Solana Summit series connecting Washington with Wall Street.
SPI's core competitive narrative is its commitment to technology neutrality—seeking a level playing field rather than advantages for Solana-specific infrastructure—combined with its professional network and credibility within Washington policy circles. The organization positions itself as a bridge between the crypto industry and policymakers, emphasizing that legal ambiguity can be weaponized against the industry.
Market pain point: The crypto industry has long suffered from legal uncertainty, including unclear SEC-CFTC jurisdictional boundaries, unresolved stablecoin regulations, and risks to developers from unpredictable legal interpretations. SPI addresses this by pushing for comprehensive legislation like the Clarity Act, which aims to define securities versus commodities and establish durable rules of the road.
Development over the past six months (March–September 2026): In March, SPI announced its Solana Summit series, holding the first event in New York on April 13 and a second in Chicago on June 16. The Clarity Act advanced to committee markup in April but subsequently entered what CEO Miller Whitehouse-Levine described as "August recess purgatory." At the Wyoming Blockchain Symposium in late summer, he estimated only a 10% probability of passage before the November midterms—more pessimistic than prediction markets (Polymarket at 21%, Kalshi at 23%). Additionally, multiple law enforcement associations (including the National District Attorneys Association and the International Association of Chiefs of Police) sent a joint letter opposing Section 604 of the bill, arguing it could create regulatory loopholes exploitable for drug trafficking, fraud, sanctions evasion, and terrorist financing. These developments highlight significant legislative headwinds despite the industry's generally favorable reception of the revised bill text.
The Solana Policy Institute (SPI) was founded in March 2025, with Miller Whitehouse-Levine, former CEO of the DeFi Education Fund, as founding CEO. It is positioned as a non-profit, non-partisan organization focused on educating policymakers about the significance of decentralized networks for the digital economy. Subsequently, Kristin Smith, former CEO of the Blockchain Association, joined as President, strengthening its influence in Washington policy circles. In April 2025, SPI appointed Rachel Green Horn, former CMO of the Filecoin Foundation, as Chief Marketing Officer. Strategically, SPI plans to organize "fly-ins" to bring Solana developers directly to Capitol Hill to engage with legislators, and collaborate with the DeFi Education Fund to advance stablecoin and market structure legislation, while monitoring the SEC's new crypto task force and CFTC leadership changes. These steps establish SPI's long-term role in crypto policy.
Over the past six months, the Solana Policy Institute has actively advanced U.S. digital asset legislation. After the GENIUS Act passed in March 2026, the institute urged the Senate to pass the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY Act), which had already passed the House 294-134 and was expected to be considered in committee in April 2026. In June, it again wrote to Senate leaders emphasizing the importance of developer protections. On July 9, it submitted comments to the CFTC recommending that non-custodial front-ends and software providers be exempt from intermediary registration requirements and that on-chain data be used to streamline compliance. Going forward, the institute will focus on advancing the CLARITY Act through the Senate and continuing engagement with regulators such as the SEC and CFTC to establish a federal framework suited to decentralized networks.
Solana Policy Institute (SPI) leadership:
Miller Whitehouse-Levine — Founder & CEO. Previously CEO of DeFi Education Fund, led policy at Blockchain Association, and worked at Goldstein Policy Solutions. Holds a B.S. in International Politics from Georgetown University.
Rachel Green Horn — Chief Marketing Officer. Former Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at Filecoin Foundation and FFDW. Over a decade in marketing/communications across media, tech, and finance.
Patrick Wilson — General Counsel. Former Associate General Counsel at Coinbase, counsel at Uniswap Labs, and associate at Skadden. J.D. from Cornell Law School.
Kristin Smith — President. (No detailed bio provided in the reference; role listed as President.)