Crypto Gloss

Perianne Boring

Perianne Boring is the founder and CEO of the Chamber of Digital Commerce — launched in Washington, D.C. in 2014 as one of the first crypto-focused trade and lobbying organizations in the United States — who established a consistent industry advocacy presence before U.S. Congress and federal regulators across the Obama, Trump, Biden, and Trump administrations, covering issues from Bitcoin as legal property, to initial coin offering regulation, to digital asset market structure, and becoming a durable figure in crypto policy circles at a time when most of the industry was far more focused on technical development than Washington engagement.

Background

Perianne Boring began her career in financial journalism and broadcast media. She worked as a Forbes contributor covering financial markets and later hosted a financial news segment. Her interest in Bitcoin and blockchain technology led her to pivot into policy advocacy, which she saw as an underserved need for the nascent crypto industry in Washington.

In 2014, she founded the Chamber of Digital Commerce — named to evoke the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s model but focused exclusively on digital assets and blockchain technology. This predated most other crypto trade organizations and established Boring as one of the earliest DC-native crypto advocates.

Chamber of Digital Commerce

The Chamber is a trade association representing blockchain technology companies, investors, exchanges, and related businesses in U.S. federal policy. Key activities include:

  • Congressional outreach and testimony — Educating Congressional staff and members on blockchain technology and organizing industry testimony before relevant committees.
  • Regulatory comment letters — Filing formal comments on SEC, CFTC, FinCEN, OCC, and Treasury Department rulemaking that affects the crypto industry.
  • Research and legal papers — Publishing policy papers on topics including the legal status of digital assets, AML/KYC compliance models, stablecoin regulation, and DeFi regulatory frameworks.
  • State-level advocacy — Engaging with state legislators and regulators in states developing blockchain-specific legislation.

Smart Contract Legal Working Group

One of the Chamber’s notable initiatives was the Smart Contract Legal Working Group — a collaboration with legal scholars to analyze the legal status of smart contracts, examining questions of contract formation, enforceability, and liability under U.S. law as smart contract platforms proliferated in the 2018-2020 period.

Blockchain in the Healthcare Space

The Chamber has also engaged in non-finance applications of blockchain technology, including healthcare data management, where blockchain’s immutable record-keeping has been proposed as a solution for interoperability and patient data ownership challenges. This broader framing positioned the Chamber as an advocate for blockchain technology at large, not just crypto assets.

Policy Positions

Boring and the Chamber have generally advocated for:

  • Classifying Bitcoin and Ether as commodities (CFTC jurisdiction) rather than securities.
  • A regulatory framework for stablecoins that allows both bank and non-bank issuers.
  • Clear token classification guidance from the SEC to enable compliant fundraising.
  • Anti-CBDC provisions that protect financial privacy.

Key Dates

  • 2014 — Founds the Chamber of Digital Commerce in Washington, D.C.
  • 2015–2017 — Early Congressional education and agency engagement on Bitcoin basics and ICO concerns.
  • 2017 — ICO boom creates new urgency for regulatory clarity; Chamber publishes policy papers.
  • 2018 — Smart Contract Legal Working Group active.
  • 2021 — Infrastructure Act broker provision fight alongside Blockchain Association and Coin Center.
  • 2023–2024 — Engaged in FIT21 and post-FTX regulatory reform discussions.

Common Misconceptions

  • “The Chamber of Digital Commerce is the same as the Blockchain Association.” — These are two separate and sometimes competing trade organizations, though they often align on policy positions. The Chamber was founded earlier (2014) and has a broader blockchain focus; the Blockchain Association has grown larger in member count and budget.
  • “Boring is primarily a media personality.” — Her Forbes/broadcast background is historical context. Her primary professional identity since 2014 has been as a policy advocate and trade association executive, not a media commentator.

Last updated: 2026-04

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