Blockchain Security Standards Council Membership Changes
Summary
The DOJ Antitrust Division published a notice pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993 disclosing membership changes in Blockchain Security Standards Council, Inc. Four entities were added as parties: Mastercard, Coinbase, Fireblocks, and Kraken. Payward, Inc. withdrew from the venture. No changes were made to the planned activity of the group research project.
What changed
The DOJ Antitrust Division filed a notice disclosing membership changes in Blockchain Security Standards Council, Inc. under the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993. Four cryptocurrency and payments companies were added: Mastercard, Coinbase, Fireblocks, and Kraken. Payward, Inc. withdrew as a party. No changes to the group's planned research activities were reported.
The notice extends antitrust liability protections to the new members under the Act's provisions limiting recovery to actual damages. Companies considering participation in industry standards organizations or research consortia should be aware that membership changes in NCRPA-filed ventures require DOJ notification and Federal Register publication.
Archived snapshot
Apr 18, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Notice
Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Blockchain Security Standards Council, Inc.
A Notice by the Antitrust Division on 04/20/2026
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- Public Inspection Published Document: 2026-07658 (91 FR 21017) Document Headings ###### Department of Justice
Antitrust Division
Notice is hereby given that, on February 20, 2026, pursuant to section 6(a) of the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993, 15 U.S.C. 4301 et seq. (“the Act”), Blockchain Security Standards Council, Inc. (“BSSC”) has filed written notifications simultaneously with the Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission disclosing changes in its membership. The notifications were filed for the purpose of extending the Act's provisions limiting the recovery of antitrust plaintiffs to actual damages under specified circumstances. Specifically, Mastercard, O'Fallon, MO; Coinbase, San Francisco, CA; Fireblocks, New York, NY; and Kraken, San Francisco, CA, have been added as parties to this venture.
Also, Payward, Inc., San Francisco, CA, has withdrawn as a party to this venture.
No other changes have been made in either the membership or planned activity of the group research project. Membership in this group research project remains open, and BSSC intends to file additional written notifications disclosing all changes in membership.
On July 9, 2024, BSSC filed its original notification pursuant to section 6(a) of the Act. The Department of Justice published a notice in the Federal Register pursuant to section 6(b) of the Act on September 26, 2024 (89 FR 78902).
The last notification was filed with the Department on April 2, 2025. A notice was published in the Federal Register pursuant to section 6(b) of the Act on April 21, 2025 (90 FR 16703).
Suzanne Morris,
Deputy Director Civil Enforcement Operations, Antitrust Division.
[FR Doc. 2026-07658 Filed 4-17-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
Published Document: 2026-07658 (91 FR 21017)
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