Brian M. Whitehurst is an American legal and regulatory professional known for his work in digital assets, cryptocurrency, and public service. He currently serves as the Chief-of-Staff and Global Head of Regulatory Affairs at Liberty City Ventures and as Head of Regulatory Affairs and Regulatory Counsel at Lukka. ^{[1] [2]}

Education

Brian Whitehurst earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Georgia in 2002. He later received a Doctor of Law Degree (JD) from the New England School of Law in 2007. ^{[2] [4]}

Career

Brian Whitehurst began his career in public service with the Office of U.S. President Bill Clinton, serving from 2008 to 2011 as International and Domestic Advance Logistics Lead. In this capacity, he acted as a liaison between the former president’s office and heads of state, political leaders, senior government officials, corporate executives, and non-profit organizations across multiple regions.

In 2011, Whitehurst joined the Office of the New York State Attorney General as an Assistant Attorney General in the Investor Protection Bureau, a role he held for more than a decade. His work centered on financial regulation and digital assets, where he co-led the office’s Crypto Economic Working Group and directed major enforcement actions involving cryptocurrency, blockchain, and decentralized finance (DeFi). Notable cases included investigations into Tether and Bitfinex, as well as oversight of settlements with other digital asset firms.

Whitehurst transitioned to the private sector in 2022, taking on senior regulatory roles in the digital asset industry. He became Chief of Staff and Global Head of Regulatory Affairs at Liberty City Ventures and also joined Lukka as Head of Regulatory Affairs and Regulatory Counsel. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

Notable Work

Virtual Markets Integrity Initiative

While at the New York Attorney General's office, Whitehurst co-authored the Virtual Markets Integrity Initiative report. This report was a comprehensive examination of the practices of the world's largest cryptocurrency trading platforms, focusing on issues of transparency, fairness, and security. The initiative's findings have been influential in policy discussions and have been cited by prominent government bodies and officials, including the U.S. Department of Justice and Senator Elizabeth Warren, highlighting its impact on the regulatory view of the digital asset markets. ^{[1] [3]}

Public Appearances and Speaking Engagements

As a recognized expert in digital asset regulation, Whitehurst is a frequent speaker at industry conferences. In May 2023, he spoke at the 32nd Annual Conference on the Globalisation of Investment Funds, hosted by the International Bar Association in New York. His session was titled "In the wake of the crypto crash – the future of virtual assets in asset management." ^[3]

In September 2025, he was a featured panelist at the CoinDesk: Policy & Regulation event. He participated in a session titled "Real-world Asset Tokenization and Regulatory Adaptation," where he appeared alongside other industry experts to discuss the evolving legal frameworks surrounding the tokenization of physical and financial assets. ^[1]