The Chamber of Digital Commerce and Coin Center recently announced the formation of a public-private forum for the bitcoin community, the Blockchain Alliance. The Alliance is made up of several companies and institutions that are meeting in Washington, DC to discuss how to combat bitcoin and blockchain related crime, according to a press release.

The goal of the Alliance is to act as a resource for law enforcement for technical knowledge on preventing bitcoin crime. It is also designed to act as a forum for dialogue between law enforcement and the bitcoin community.

"It's no secret that bitcoin has perception issues, which is a roadblock to mainstream adoption," Perianne Boring, president of the Chamber of Digital Commerce, said in the release. "Having an open dialogue with law enforcement and policymakers will help reduce anxiety about this transformative technology."

Many different companies are participating in the Alliance including BitFinex, BitFury, BitGo, Bitnet, Blockchain, Bloq, CoinBase and more.

"This is an industry-driven effort, and we are proud to be a part of it. The companies participating in this initiative are not only good companies, but they are also good corporate citizens," said Jason Weinstein, director of the Blockchain Alliance and partner at Steptoe & Johnson LLP. "For the blockchain to thrive, the industry must work together to correct the misperception of bitcoin as the 'currency of criminals.'"