Wintermute Establishes US Headquarters in New York and Hires Former Blockchain Association Lobbyist Ron Hammond

Wintermute, one of the world's leading algorithmic trading firms and OTC desks in digital assets, has established its US headquarters in New York City as part of its American expansion strategy. The firm has also appointed Ron Hammond, former Senior Director of Government Relations and Institutional Engagement at the Blockchain Association, as Head of Policy and Advocacy.

Wintermute's entry into the US market comes as the company seeks to strengthen its presence in what it describes as the world's largest financial market. The New York office will serve as the cornerstone of the firm's regional operations and allow it to foster deeper relationships with US-based counterparties and partners.

"As the U.S. policy towards digital assets and blockchain innovation has become friendlier, we were determined to act fast and establish roots in the financial capital of the world, New York City," stated Wintermute CEO Evgeny Gaevoy. "We're eager to continue our growth and play an integral role in the U.S. market. As a neutral player with deep expertise in all areas of digital assets, we believe we are well-positioned to lend our expertise on Capitol Hill, which we have done recently in our meeting with the SEC Crypto Task Force, and with Ron joining, we will commence fulsome efforts in America."

Hammond brings nearly ten years of regulatory experience in crafting bipartisan crypto legislation, beginning in 2016 as Financial Services Policy Lead for Congressman Warren Davidson of Ohio. During his tenure at the Blockchain Association, he authored several pieces of legislation, most notably the Token Taxonomy Act, described as the first bipartisan market structure bill to regulate cryptocurrency.

"I am thrilled to join Wintermute, a global powerhouse in digital asset markets, as it establishes a U.S. presence at this critical moment for the digital asset industry," commented Ron Hammond, Head of Policy and Advocacy. "With the regulatory climate in the U.S. becoming more constructive, we see tremendous opportunity to foster responsible innovation and deepen engagement with policymakers and industry stakeholders. I'm eager to work alongside the Wintermute team as it forges a new path in America."

In his new role, Hammond will lead all policy engagement for Wintermute in the United States, working with regulators and industry stakeholders at federal and state levels. His responsibilities include offering technical input on legislation, contributing policy ideas, building alignment on major policy issues across the ecosystem, and coordinating responses to emerging proposals with other industry players.

Gaevoy added that Wintermute's "integration throughout the entirety of the ecosystem renders us policy-agnostic, which allows us to connect with policymakers neutrally."

Wintermute reports over $15 billion in average daily trading volume and provides liquidity across 60+ centralised and decentralised exchanges. The company describes itself as a key partner to token projects seeking deep, scalable liquidity and operates across the entire digital asset ecosystem. Its reach extends into traditional finance through active trading on exchanges such as CME and Eurex.

Alongside Hammond's appointment, Wintermute is expanding its business development and partnership team and hiring across various other roles as it builds out its US operations.