The New York Stock Exchange’s top markets cop is leaving the Big Board for a job advising venture-capital firm Andreessen Horowitz on cryptocurrency regulation.
Anthony Albanese, who has led the NYSE’s in-house regulatory unit since 2016, will join the Silicon Valley firm as its chief regulatory officer in mid-November, a spokeswoman for Andreessen Horowitz said.
The move makes Mr. Albanese the latest regulator to join a firm active in digital-currency markets, where regulations are still emerging and many businesses operate in a legal gray area. His work will involve outreach to regulators and helping to shape strategy for Andreessen Horowitz’s cryptocurrency projects, according to a blog post that the firm released Wednesday after news of the hire was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
Earlier this year, Andreessen Horowitz raised $515 million for its second fund focused on crypto and blockchain, the technology behind bitcoin. The firm’s investments include a stake in Coinbase, one of the biggest U.S. bitcoin exchanges.
Before becoming the NYSE’s chief regulatory officer, Mr. Albanese led the New York State Department of Financial Services. He was the department’s acting superintendent in 2015 when it issued its first “BitLicense,” a regulatory framework devised by the state for digital-currency businesses.