Va. Sen. Mark Warner to co-chair hearing today to examine virtual currencies

Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) will co-chair a Senate Banking Committee hearing today, Nov. 19, at 3:30 p.m. with Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) to explore the development of virtual currencies.

The hearing will examine virtual currencies current and potential future use, and the regulatory, monetary, and national security impacts and issues associated with them.

As chairman of the National Security and International Trade and Finance Subcommittee, Sen. Warner will co-chair the hearing entitled “The Present and Future Impact of Virtual Currency,” with Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), chairman of the Economic Policy Subcommittee.

Warner and Merkley will hear from witnesses including Jennifer Shasky Calvery, Director, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network; David Cotney, Commissioner of Banks, Massachusetts Division of Banks; Anthony Gallippi, Co-founder and CEO, BitPay, Incorporated; Mercedes Kelley Tunstall, Partner, Ballard Spahr LLP; Sarah Jane Hughes, University Scholar and Fellow in Commercial Law, Indiana University Maurer School of Law; and Paul Smocer, BITS President, Financial Services Roundtable.

The hearing will be at Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 538. A livestream of the hearing and testimony will be available at http://www.banking.senate.gov/ according to a statement from Warner’s office.