Adrienne Harris, the Superintendent of the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS), has announced her resignation and will officially step down on October 17, 2025. Harris has played a prominent role in regulating the cryptocurrency industry during her four-year tenure, overseeing key developments and enforcement actions that have shaped both New York’s and the nation’s approach to digital assets.

Since her appointment in 2021, Harris worked to strengthen the state’s regulatory framework, particularly around the NYDFS’s landmark BitLicense—a pioneering system for licensing crypto firms. Under her leadership, the department issued multiple pieces of regulatory guidance aimed at clarifying and updating the rules for cryptocurrency businesses operating in the state. This included new policies on stablecoins, blockchain analytics, and the standards for listing new coins, ensuring that New York kept pace with rapid changes in the crypto market.

Harris was instrumental in leading significant investigations and enforcement actions, such as those involving stablecoin issuers. Her expertise in financial regulation made NYDFS a model for other regulators, with many in Congress seeking the department’s technical guidance on shaping national crypto policy.

Governor Kathy Hochul praised Harris for modernizing the department and making the financial system work better for New Yorkers. Harris, in turn, expressed gratitude to her team and the governor, highlighting the progress made in building a more transparent and resilient regulatory environment.

Kaitlin Asrow, the NYDFS Executive Deputy Superintendent of Research and Innovation, will serve as the acting superintendent following Harris’s departure. Asrow is expected to continue steering the agency towards innovation and consumer protection as the crypto landscape evolves further.