Crypto05 October, 20262 min read
PGPZ Registers Divij Pandya To Lobby U.S. Congress On CLARITY Act And Digital-Asset Taxes
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PGPZ filed lobbying registration effective Oct. 1 to influence US digital-asset policy. Divij Pandya named sole lobbyist for PGPZ in Washington.
Lobbying Registration in Washington
Pretty Good Policy for Zcash (PGPZ) filed lobbying registration documents effective October 1, with CoinTelegraph reporting the registration on October 4, as the Zcash (ZEC) ecosystem moved to exert influence over US Congress digital asset policy decisions. PGPZ listed Executive Director Divij Pandya as the sole lobbyist, and the group identified the CLARITY Act and two digital asset taxation proposals among its current or future lobbying targets. PGPZ launched in June, and Electric Coin Co., the developer of Zcash, previously started Pretty Good Policy for Crypto in 2022, which hosted policy roundtables in Washington and conducted a congressional briefing on encryption technology in 2023.
Paul Brigner, PGPZ founder and Chief Policy and Regulatory Officer at ZODL, said the goal is "to ensure Zcash can conduct serious, organized, and credible policy engagement in Washington." Zcash Community Grants approved a $750,000 grant in August to support PGPZ's first year of operations.
Targets: CLARITY and Taxes
PGPZ identified the CLARITY Act as a lobbying target, and the group also named two digital asset taxation proposals as issues it planned to lobby on in Washington.
Cointelegraph reported that the registration took effect on Oct. 1, and the registration listed the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act and two digital asset tax proposals among its current and anticipated lobbying issues.
Paul Brigner said policymakers are making decisions that will determine whether privacy-preserving digital cash can exist, be used lawfully, and contribute to the public good.
Brigner also said, "P G P Z exists to ensure Zcash is properly understood, represented, and protected in these discussions."
The lobbying effort was framed as a step to expand influence over the US Congress's digital-asset policymaking process, with the group positioning its work around market structure and tax rules.
Funding and Policy Stakes
Zcash Community Grants approved a $750,000 grant in August to support PGPZ's first year of operations, and the lobbying registration was described as a formal step to expand Zcash's influence over digital-asset policymaking in the US Congress. The registration was also described as centering on the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act and digital-asset tax proposals, aligning the lobbying priorities with Zcash's emphasis on privacy-preserving technologies. BigGo Finance said the lobbying registration is being interpreted as a strategic shift signaling that the Zcash ecosystem intends to have a voice on the institutional policy stage.
BigGo Finance added that the CLARITY Act seeks to clarify the criteria for classifying digital assets as securities or commodities, which could affect the legal status of privacy coins. The sources also tied the lobbying push to a tightening regulatory environment, with BigGo Finance referencing the US Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and European Union (EU) authorities tightening oversight of anonymity-enhancing technologies.