Ron Hammond is the Head of Policy and Advocacy at Wintermute, a leading algorithmic trading firm and OTC desk in digital assets. With an extensive background in government relations and regulatory frameworks, Hammond has played a pivotal role in shaping crypto policy in the United States. His career spans roles as a senior director at the Blockchain Association and as a legislative aide on Capitol Hill.

Education

Ron Hammond attended Georgetown University. He graduated from Cistercian Preparatory School, where he completed his secondary education between 2008 and 2011. During his time at Cistercian Preparatory School, he founded the Finance Club. ^{[4] [1]}

Career

Early Political and Campaign Roles

Ron Hammond began his career working on political campaigns in Texas. In December 2013, he served as Campaign Strategist for Don Huffines' campaign for the Texas State Senate in the Dallas–Fort Worth area. He later worked as Campaign Manager for Bob Hall's Texas State Senate campaign from March to July 2014 in East Texas. From July 2014 to January 2015, Hammond served as Lead Campaign Strategist and Senior Field Director for Lois Kolkhorst's Texas Senate campaign in Katy, Texas, which served as a basis for later work with digital assets.

In April 2015, Hammond joined the office of Representative Pete Olson (TX-22) in Washington, D.C., where he worked as a Staff Assistant until August 2016.

Capitol Hill

In August 2016, Hammond joined the office of Representative Warren Davidson (OH-8) as a Legislative Correspondent. In January 2017, he became Financial Services and Crypto Policy Lead, a position he held until August 2019.

His responsibilities included work related to financial services policy and cryptocurrency legislation. During this period, he participated in the drafting of the Token Taxonomy Act, a bipartisan bill concerning the regulatory treatment of digital assets and blockchain-based networks in the United States.

Ripple

In August 2019, Hammond joined Ripple as Manager of Government Relations. Based in the Washington, D.C.–Baltimore area, he worked on matters involving public policy, digital assets, blockchain technology, and regulatory engagement. He remained in the position until May 2020.

Blockchain Association

In July 2020, Hammond became Senior Director of Government Relations and Institutional Engagement at the Blockchain Association, a trade association representing companies and organizations involved in blockchain and cryptocurrency activities.

In this role, he worked with policymakers, regulators, industry participants, and other stakeholders on legislative and regulatory matters related to digital assets and blockchain technology. He served in the position until June 2025.

Wintermute

In June 2025, Hammond joined Wintermute as Head of Policy and Advocacy. Based in New York, he oversees the company's policy-related activities in the United States and engages with regulators, legislators, and industry participants at the federal and state levels.

His responsibilities include providing input on legislative proposals, participating in policy discussions, and coordinating engagement on regulatory matters affecting digital assets. His appointment coincided with Wintermute's expansion into the United States and the establishment of the company's headquarters in New York City.

Industry Engagement

Throughout his career, Hammond has worked in roles related to cryptocurrency, blockchain policy, and digital asset regulation across government, industry associations, and private-sector organizations.

In May 2026, he participated as a speaker at Consensus Miami, a conference focused on blockchain technology, digital assets, and related policy developments.

His public activities have included discussions on digital asset regulation, market structure, and legislative developments affecting the cryptocurrency sector. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]}

Interviews

Comments on the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act #01

On May 12, 2026, Ron Hammond appeared on the Paul Barron Network to discuss the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, a cryptocurrency market structure bill under consideration in the United States Senate. The discussion covered provisions related to decentralized finance (DeFi), self-custody, blockchain infrastructure, and the legislative process surrounding the bill.

During the interview, Hammond stated that the legislation included provisions concerning self-custody rights, wallet infrastructure developers, node operators, validators, and decentralized governance systems. He also discussed the treatment of digital assets under the proposed regulatory framework and commented on the role of law enforcement provisions included in the bill.

Hammond addressed the Senate committee markup process, describing it as a stage in which amendments and revisions could be introduced before further consideration by Congress. He also discussed the need for bipartisan support in order for the legislation to advance through the Senate.

Additional topics included the positions of banking organizations and lawmakers regarding the bill, regulatory approaches to stablecoins and DeFi, privacy-focused digital assets, and cryptocurrency taxation. Hammond stated that discussions related to the Clarity Act were occurring alongside broader policy debates concerning digital asset regulation in the United States. ^[11]

Senate Discussion on the Clarity Act #02

On May 20, 2026, Ron Hammond appeared on the Thinking Crypto podcast to discuss the Clarity Act, a proposed U.S. digital asset market structure bill, and related cryptocurrency policy developments.

During the interview, Hammond stated that the legislation had received support from members of both major political parties in the Senate Banking Committee. He said that discussions were underway regarding the next stages of the legislative process, including efforts to obtain the number of votes required for consideration by the full Senate.

Hammond also discussed debates surrounding ethics provisions related to public officials and digital assets. He stated that the issue was being considered by lawmakers and could influence the positions of some members of Congress during further deliberations on the bill.

Regarding the role of financial institutions, Hammond said that banking industry representatives had expressed concerns about certain aspects of the legislation, including provisions related to stablecoins and yield-bearing products. He described these discussions as part of broader policy debates involving digital asset regulation and financial services.

The interview also addressed decentralized finance (DeFi). Hammond stated that some industry organizations were advocating for legal protections for software developers and open-source contributors. According to Hammond, questions related to law enforcement authority, national security considerations, and developer liability remained subjects of discussion during the legislative process.

In addition, Hammond commented on reports concerning a potential U.S. Bitcoin reserve. He stated that he had not received confirmation of any forthcoming announcement but noted that the topic continued to be discussed by policymakers and participants in the digital asset sector. ^[10]

​