Algorand Bets on US Soil with New Board and Strategic Delaware HQ

DOVER, Del. – January 14, 2026 – The Algorand Foundation, a key player in the layer-1 blockchain space, today announced a significant strategic pivot with its return to the United States, establishing a new headquarters in Delaware and appointing a powerhouse board of directors. The move, which brings the foundation back to the country of its MIT-based origins, signals a clear ambition to influence the future of financial infrastructure and secure a leadership position within the evolving American regulatory landscape.

Previously headquartered in Singapore, the foundation's relocation is more than a change of address; it represents a calculated maneuver to engage directly with the epicenter of global finance and regulation. This is underscored by the formation of a new board stacked with veterans from technology, traditional finance, and the highest levels of U.S. regulatory bodies. The immediate goal is to steer the next phase of Algorand's growth, focusing on global payments, asset tokenization, and financial empowerment.

A Board Built for a New Financial Era

The composition of the new board is a clear statement of intent, assembling a brain trust uniquely equipped to bridge the gap between decentralized technology and mainstream institutional adoption. Each member brings a specific, high-value skill set crucial for navigating the complex intersection of finance, law, and innovation.

Chairing the board is Bill Barhydt, founder and CEO of crypto platform Abra. A 30-year technology veteran, Barhydt's experience extends far beyond the crypto world, including foundational work on secure messaging at the CIA, internet infrastructure at NASA, and early contributions to core web components like HTTPS at Netscape. His deep background in both cutting-edge technology and mobile money provides a strategic vision for Algorand's future.

Joining him is Alex Holmes, the former Chairman and CEO of MoneyGram International. As Executive Vice Chairman of United Texas Bank Dallas, Holmes brings profound expertise in global payments. During his tenure at MoneyGram, he led the company’s digital transformation and was a pioneer in integrating blockchain and stablecoins into remittance operations, making his insights invaluable to Algorand's focus on instant global payments.

Perhaps most indicative of Algorand's strategy is the appointment of Michael Mosier, a co-founder of Arktouros PLLC. Mosier previously served as Acting Director of the U.S. Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), where he was also its first Digital Innovation Officer. With additional experience at the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Department of Justice, Mosier's presence on the board signals an unwavering commitment to regulatory compliance and a proactive approach to financial integrity.

Rounding out the external appointments is Rebecca Rettig, the COO and CLO at Jito Labs. Rettig is a legal pioneer in the DeFi space, having held top legal roles at Aave Companies and Polygon Labs. Her experience shaping legal frameworks for decentralization and serving on advisory groups for the New York Department of Financial Services and the CFTC provides Algorand with elite-level guidance on policy and decentralized governance. Staci Warden, who has led the foundation as CEO since 2022, remains on the board, providing continuity and leadership through this transformative period.

Navigating the Regulatory Landscape

The foundation's move from Singapore to Delaware is a direct play on what leadership perceives as a more constructive U.S. regulatory environment emerging in 2026. Rather than shying away from regulatory scrutiny, Algorand appears to be embracing it, positioning itself to help shape the rules of the road. The choice of Delaware, a state renowned for its sophisticated and flexible corporate law, is a strategic one, providing a stable legal home for its U.S. operations.

This proactive stance aligns with recent trends from U.S. regulators like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which have focused on applying existing securities frameworks to digital assets rather than creating entirely new ones. The SEC has provided guidance on how broker-dealers can custody crypto asset securities and has even permitted limited pilot programs for tokenizing securities on-chain. Algorand's new board, with its deep reservoir of regulatory experience, is perfectly positioned to navigate this nuanced environment and build products that meet the highest compliance standards.

"Algorand has always stood for empowering people with blockchain technology," said Staci Warden, CEO of the Algorand Foundation. "Now we're doubling down where blockchain can make the most significant difference: instant global payments, expanded access to financial products, and improved economic resilience. By re-establishing our presence in the U.S., Algorand is helping ensure U.S. leadership for the next generation of financial infrastructure."

Renewed Community Focus and Real-World Impact

While the new strategy is heavily focused on top-down institutional and regulatory engagement, the foundation is also making a concerted effort to strengthen its bottom-up ecosystem. This is being addressed through the creation of a new Ecosystem Advisory Council, designed to give community members, developers, and key projects a formal channel to influence the foundation's direction.

The council will be chaired by Paweł (Urtho) Pierścionek, founder of the staking provider Nodely, who will also serve as a technical advisor to the board. This dual role ensures that technical and community perspectives are represented at the highest levels of governance, a move likely to be welcomed by the existing ecosystem.

This renewed commitment comes as Algorand's technology continues to power practical financial solutions globally. Projects like Lofty are using the blockchain to fractionalize real estate investments, HesabPay is streamlining cross-border payments in challenging environments, Folks Finance is building on-chain collateralized debt products, and Conio is enabling the tokenization of real-world assets. These existing use cases provide a strong foundation for the expanded U.S. push.

As a mid-tier layer-1 blockchain with a market capitalization of around $1.2 billion, Algorand faces well-capitalized rivals. However, its latest move suggests a strategy that prioritizes intellectual and regulatory capital over raw treasury size. By assembling a board that can open doors in Washington D.C. and on Wall Street, the foundation is betting that the key to winning the next phase of blockchain adoption lies in trust, compliance, and deep financial expertise.

"As the world of finance moves 100% on-chain, institutions, developers and users will demand blockchain and smart contract platforms that are secure, fast, scalable and easily programmable," stated new board chair Bill Barhydt. "Algorand checks all these boxes with deep experience building the cutting-edge infrastructure necessary for this shift. I look forward to contributing to its success as we explore ways to advance on-chain markets and products."