The Algorand Foundation is re-establishing its headquarters in the US, setting up in Delaware and appointing a new board as the nonprofit refocuses on payments and real-world asset tokenization at a moment when US crypto policy is again in flux.
The foundation — which supports development and ecosystem growth around the Algorand blockchain — has operated from Singapore in recent years, and framed the move as a renewed bet on US leadership in blockchain innovation.
The new board will be chaired by Bill Barhydt, founder and chief executive officer of crypto financial services firm Abra, according to the announcement. Other directors include Alex Holmes, a longtime payments executive and former MoneyGram CEO; Michael Mosier, a former acting director at the US Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN); Rebecca Rettig, chief legal officer of Solana-focused infrastructure firm Jito Labs; and Staci Warden, who remains chief executive officer of the Algorand Foundation.
Warden said the foundation plans to expand its US operations and concentrate on “instant global payments” and broadening access to financial products, positioning Algorand’s infrastructure as a candidate rail for onchain settlement.
Board reset as Washington debates new rules
The relocation comes as lawmakers in Washington have renewed efforts to write clearer “rules of the road” for digital assets. On Jan. 13, US senators introduced draft legislation that would define how crypto tokens are categorized and allocate oversight of spot crypto markets — a long-running industry demand after years of enforcement-led regulation.
While the Algorand Foundation did not explicitly tie the move to pending legislation, Delaware remains a common home for US corporate entities, and the foundation’s own US entity is described on its website as a Delaware corporation.
What the foundation says it will prioritize
The foundation said the board’s immediate mandate is to oversee expanded US operations and guide new initiatives spanning global payments, asset tokenization and related “financial empowerment” efforts.
Algorand’s technology, originally associated with research out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ecosystem, has long been pitched as a high-throughput, proof-of-stake network designed for fast settlement. The protocol was founded by MIT professor and cryptographer Silvio Micali and launched its main network in 2019.
In its announcement, the foundation pointed to several ecosystem projects as examples of real-world usage it wants to expand: Lofty (real estate investing), HesabPay (payments and aid distribution), Folks Finance (DeFi lending products) and Conio (tokenization).
HesabPay, for example, has been highlighted by Algorand in a prior case study focused on digital payments in Afghanistan, including the distribution of funds to recipients through mobile and feature-phone access.
New advisory structure for the ecosystem
Alongside the board appointments, the foundation said it plans to create an “Ecosystem Advisory Council” intended to provide a formal channel for community input into strategy. The council will be chaired by Paweł (Urtho) Pierścionek, founder of infrastructure provider Nodely, and Pierścionek will also serve as a technical adviser to the board, the foundation said.
The leadership reshuffle is the latest example of crypto organizations tightening governance and compliance bench strength — particularly by bringing in executives with payments, banking and financial crime backgrounds — as firms try to persuade regulators and institutions that blockchain infrastructure can support mainstream financial activity.
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