Recently, I visited Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. to share the vision of @PudgyPenguins, @IglooInc, and $PENGU with lawmakers that are shaping the future of crypto in America. The trip was eye-opening—and productive to the say the least, it gave me a firsthand look at how government leaders are thinking about crypto. Here are my thoughts and takeaways: After this trip, I’ve never been more excited about innovating in this space. It’s clear: The U.S. wants crypto to succeed. Lawmakers are engaged, thoughtful, and aware that the right regulations could unlock massive opportunity. A lot of what is being discussed right now is stable coins and providing more clarity to the regulatory landscape for these assets we all love. I support that direction, because the rules we create now will define the incentives, behaviors, and trajectory of this industry for decades to come. Most lawmakers I met with were primarily focused on stablecoins and market structure—understandably, since that’s where most of the attention has been. But beyond that? The representation of crypto’s broader use cases was limited. That’s exactly why I went. I wanted to show them what real-world crypto adoption looks like through what Pudgy Penguins is doing with toys, IP licensing, content, and cultural touchpoints that everyday people already understand. The pitch for Pudgy was simple: Pudgy Penguins is the most retail-friendly and digestible entry point into crypto. Whether it’s through GIFs, viral content, toys in 10,000 stores, or even “why $PENGU?”—people get it. Almost every meeting ended with follow-ups on how Pudgy Penguins can work alongside the government to help shape crypto’s future—because we’re one of the few brands making it tangible and approachable. The part that these lawmakers were missing in all of crypto was the ability to feel, share, resonate, participate, and connect with crypto; and Pudgy Penguins solved this for them. Moving forward, I plan to return to D.C often to continue educating, listening, and spreading the Pudgy Penguins vision With Pudgy Penguins, I am excited to build a future where crypto connects with the people—and stays for good.