Through a public disclosure on Jan 3, Dapper Labs became the first NFT company to federally register to lobby with the U.S. government. The company joins a growing list of influencers within the crypto industry that have taken to the floors of Congress in an effort to influence new policies.
Based in Vancouver, Dapper Labs offers a variety of nonfungible token (NFT)-based products and DApps. These include games like CryptoKitties, where players can breed and raise NFT kittens, and Cheeze Wizards, a tournament series where collectible characters can duel each other. Additionally, Dapper Labs is partnered with the NBA and is responsible for Top Shot, an NFT marketplace that sells highlights from basketball games. The UFC has also partnered with Dapper Labs to offer a similar service in the near future.
According to the announcement, Dapper Labs has recruited Crossroads Strategies as their lobbying firm. The company reported that it would lobby for “Policy related to NFTs, blockchain and financial services.” Aside from recruiting a lobbying firm, Dapper Labs also recruited Alison Kutler as its new head of government affairs back in November 2021. Kutler is the former chief of the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau and special advisor to the chairman of the FCC from June 2015 to Apr 2017.
Kutler has also since registered to lobby on behalf of Dapper Labs, according to public disclosures posted the day after Dapper Labs’ official registration on Tuesday, January 4, 2022.
Dapper Labs didn’t reveal much in terms of its intentions but did say that it wants to promote “education and mainstream adoption of Web3,” according to their spokesperson Rachel Rogers.
With NFTs becoming more involved in mainstream culture, lobbyists are optimistic about future policies. Regardless, both lobbyists and policymakers alike will have to continue grappling with the implications of blockchain technology on future regulations.
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