In Baltimore, blockchain is more than a buzzword - it’s a tool for civic innovation.
Meet Ebony Thompson, City Solicitor for the City of Baltimore. She leads the city’s law department while helping drive efforts to modernize property records, address vacant housing, and explore new ways technology can support community revitalization.
Baltimore has faced a long-standing challenge with vacant homes, and the city is now exploring blockchain as a way to create a more efficient and transparent system for tracking property records and ownership (since November 2024). The work is part of a broader effort led by Baltimore City Mayor Brandon M. Scott to tackle vacant housing and invest in neighborhoods across the city.
I first ran into Ebony at a Government Blockchain Association event and was immediately inspired by the work she is doing. It’s exciting to see someone bringing blockchain into real-world public service in such a meaningful way. The SheCrypto team and I are thrilled to be seeing her again this week during DC Blockchain Week at The Digital Chamber’s DC Blockchain Summit, where these conversations will continue.
One of the ideas I especially love, which Baltimore is exploring, is fractional ownership - using blockchain to allow more people to participate in the redevelopment of their neighborhoods rather than simply watching it happen around them.
That intersection of technology and social good is incredibly powerful. It’s also a natural extension of Ebony’s own journey, which blends finance, real estate, and law - a background that uniquely positions her to think about how emerging technologies can serve communities.
While earning her Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Brown University, she simultaneously served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve. She later began her career in New York as a Private Client Group Associate with UBS Global Asset Management, working with international clients on wealth management strategies.
Alongside her work in finance, she also became a private real estate investor, forming partnerships with leading real estate financiers in Maryland and Virginia to help rehabilitate distressed properties and revitalize neighborhoods. She later became an attorney, bringing together her passions for real estate, financial technology, and the law - a combination that now informs her work in government and her approach to innovation.
Today, through Ebony’s leadership and the vision of Mayor Scott, Baltimore is demonstrating how cities can use emerging technologies like blockchain to address real challenges while creating more inclusive opportunities for their communities.
It’s inspiring to see leaders using blockchain not simply as a trend, but as a practical tool for progress.
Learn more about the City of Baltimore and its work.
Instagram → @baltcityhall → https://www.instagram.com/baltcityhall/
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/city-of-baltimore
Website → https://www.baltimorecity.gov
