Whereas the emergence of blockchain networks in many ways parallels the emergence of the internet at the end of the 20th century; Whereas the internet flourished in part due to a light-touch regulatory approach embodied by the United States Government’s five principles for the Global Information Infrastructure; Whereas blockchain networks, exemplified by digital currencies, can today facilitate critical services such as value transfer directly between users; Whereas the global proliferation of smart mobile devices may, when combined with blockchain networks, provide banking and financial services to those who are underserved by the existing financial sector; Whereas blockchain networks may prove useful for establishing trustworthy decentralized computing services that go beyond value transfer, including identity, security for the Internet of Things, rights management for digital content, efficiencies in insurance, energy, health care, and instant execution, monitoring, and enforcement of contractual terms; Whereas the ability to record transactions on a blockchain offers new approaches for the United States Government to improve transparency, prevent fraud, enhance citizen services, and establish trust; Whereas blockchain technology promotes transparency, efficiency, and certainty across many business processes, which increases access to capital, encourages innovation, promotes job creation, and stimulates economic growth; Whereas foreign governments are exploring the use of blockchain technology to enable government agencies to experiment, build, and deploy digital services for citizens based on blockchain technology; Whereas digital currency companies are still finding homes outside of the United States, and other countries are devising policies and strategies to embrace these new technologies; Whereas blockchain technology facilitates new types of network participation, including fundraising, access, and use through digital token distributions, which American businesses can use in many innovative ways