Digital Asset Summit NY 2025 Flashcards by Anays Lazo

Aidan Larkin:
* Role: Co-Founder and CEO of Asset Reality
* Focus: Platform for seizing, managing, and deploying assets in GovTech and DefenseTech
* Key Experience:
* Managed billions in seized assets and oversaw public sales of seized crypto
* Former criminal investigator in the UK
* Expertise:
* Associate Fellow at RUSI
* Lecturer and expert for UN Office on Drugs & Crime
* Testified before UK Parliament on illicit crypto use in terrorist financing and money laundering

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Alex Cordover:
* CEO of Tradable, a platform built to tokenize alternative investment opportunities.
* Previous Experience:
* Head of Technology at Victory Park Capital, where he led strategic technology initiatives.
* CTO and Co-Founder of Crowd Point, a marketing analytics firm.
* Early work at Grainger, contributing to its AI lab.
* Worked at Block Six Analytics, a sports marketing analytics firm (acquired by Excel Sports Management).
* Specialization: Expertise in AI product development and technology strategy.
* Current Focus: Leading Tradable in tokenizing real-world assets for better access to high-quality investment opportunities.

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Alex Gluchowski:
* Role: Co-Founder & Creator of ZKsync, Co-Founder and CEO of Matter Labs
* Experience: Over 15 years in engineering and startups
* Focus: Leading Matter Labs to address blockchain scalability using zero-knowledge proofs
* Passion: Advancing personal freedom, self-ownership, and decentralization

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Alex Thorn:
* Role: Head of Firmwide Research at Galaxy Digital, leading research on cryptocurrency and blockchain developments.
* Previous Experience:
* Co-managed Avon Ventures, an early-stage crypto venture fund at Fidelity Investments.
* Director of Blockchain Research at Fidelity Center for Applied Technology, publishing research on cryptocurrency and blockchain.
* Held roles in Legal and Compliance at Fidelity.
* Education: Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Vanderbilt University.
* Public Engagements:
* Regularly shares insights on cryptocurrency trends and market developments.
* Discussed the future of crypto in 2025, focusing on stablecoin regulations and Bitcoin reserves.

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Ali Hennessy:
* Head of ETP Listings at Nasdaq, overseeing the listing and management of Exchange-Traded Products (ETPs) like ETFs and ETNs.
* Industry Engagements:
* Participated in discussions about the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) and Nasdaq’s role in listing crypto-related products.
* Engaged in conversations regarding the Nasdaq 100 turning 40 years old and the evolution of financial products.
* Publications and Interviews:
* Featured in Nasdaq’s “Just for Funds” series discussing trends in the ETP market.
* Interviewed about the importance of in-kind redemptions for BlackRock’s IBIT and expectations for future crypto ETF filings.

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Ambre Soubiran:
* CEO of Kaiko, a leading provider of market data for digital assets.
* Former experience at HSBC, specializing in equity derivatives and equity-based financing.
* Awarded ‘Startup Professional of the Year’ at the Women in Technology and Data Awards in 2021.
* Member of the Scientific Committee and Board at the Fondation Concorde, a French think tank.
* Leads a working group focused on DeFi and blockchain transformations in European capital markets.

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Amy Oldenburg:
* Head of Emerging Markets Equity at Morgan Stanley Investment Management (MSIM), overseeing $14 billion in assets.
* Manages digital asset initiatives within MSIM.
* Former Chief Operating Officer of Emerging Markets Equity at MSIM.
* BA in Business Administration (Finance) from Fordham University and MS in Applied Psychology from the University of Southern California.
* Member of MSIM’s Operating Committee, Equity Technology Council, Innovation Council, and Arts and Culture Committee.

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Anatoly Yakovenko:
* Role: Co-Founder and CEO of Solana Labs
* Experience: Almost 20 years in building high-performance operating systems
* Previous Roles:
* Led OS development at Qualcomm
* Held engineering roles at Dropbox and Mesosphere
* Education: Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

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Anthony Scaramucci:
* Founder and Managing Partner of SkyBridge Capital, managing approximately $10 billion in assets.
* Launched the SkyBridge Bitcoin Fund in 2021 with $310 million in assets under management, providing investors exposure to Bitcoin.
* Authored four books, including The Little Book of Hedge Funds and Hopping Over the Rabbit Hole.
* Known for candid media appearances on financial markets and politics, including discussing Bitcoin’s rise.
* Former White House Communications Director under the Trump administration for a brief period in 2017.

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Austin Campbell:
* CEO of WSPN USA, a payments network specializing in stablecoin innovation.
* Adjunct Professor at NYU Stern School of Business, teaching Decentralized Finance (DeFi).
* Managing Partner at Zero Knowledge Consulting, focusing on blockchain and financial technology.
* Former Head of Portfolio Management and Chief Risk Officer at Paxos, overseeing stablecoin operations.
* Former Portfolio Manager at Stone Ridge, the parent company of NYDIG.
* MBA in Finance from NYU Stern School of Business.
* BS in Mathematics from California State University, Chico.
* Testified before Congress on debunking crypto-affiliated firms and stablecoin regulations.
* Experienced in the financial sector, with roles at JP Morgan and Citi.

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Avi Felman:
* Principal and Head of Digital Assets Trading at GoldenTree Asset Management.
* General Partner of GoldenChain, a subsidiary of GoldenTree managing digital asset-focused funds.
* One of the longest tenured traders in digital assets.
* Former Co-Portfolio Manager and Head of Trading at BlockTower Capital, growing the fund’s portfolio from $40M to over $800M.
* Former Lead Trader at Wave Financial, co-led the development of the first SEC-regulated Bitcoin fund.
* Founded Ledger Capital, a firm focused on cryptocurrency trading and investments.
* Holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Washington University.

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Ben Forman:
* Founder and Managing Partner of ParaFi Capital, focused on blockchain and decentralized finance (DeFi).
* Former Director at KKR in the credit business, with a focus on blockchain research starting in 2016.
* Former Vice President at TPG, working with its credit business, Sixth Street Partners.
* Worked at Littlejohn & Company in private equity and Rothschild & Co in investment banking.
* Graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from the University of Pennsylvania.
* Passionate about capital markets, behavioral economics, and game theory.
* Former competitive chess player with a peak ELO rating of 1871.

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Ben Strack:
* Senior Reporter at Blockworks, focusing on macro and crypto-native funds, financial advisors, structured products, and the integration of digital assets and DeFi into traditional finance.
* Former Reporter at Fund Intelligence, covering the asset management industry.
* Former Reporter and Editor for local newspapers on Long Island.
* Graduated with a degree in journalism from the University of Maryland.
* Regular contributor to Blockworks’ Forward Guidance newsletter.

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Bill Barhydt:
* Founder and CEO of Abra, a cryptocurrency platform offering trading, custody, lending, and high-yield accounts.
* Former Director at Netscape, contributing to early internet technologies.
* Former Fixed Income Analyst at Goldman Sachs, specializing in fixed income securities.
* Predicted Bitcoin could reach $700,000 due to U.S. economic policies and a “massive liquidity injection.”
* Delivered the first TED Talk on Bitcoin in 2012.
* Hosts YouTube series “Money Talks”, interviewing crypto and financial leaders like Michael Saylor and Vitalik Buterin

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Blue Macellari:
* Head of Digital Asset Strategy at T. Rowe Price, focusing on cryptocurrency strategy and integrating digital assets into traditional investment portfolios.
* Former Emerging Markets Strategist at firms like Elliott Investment Management, TD Securities, and Lone Star Funds.
* Former Director at Dunamis Trading, launching a market-neutral crypto trading strategy.
* Co-authored an article on cryptocurrency for T. Rowe Price’s Insights, discussing its integration into investment portfolios.

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Brad Garlinghouse:
* CEO of Ripple, a leading company specializing in blockchain-based payment solutions.
* Former CEO of Hightail, overseeing file collaboration services.
* Held leadership roles as President of Consumer Applications at AOL, and Senior Vice President at Yahoo!.
* Former CEO of Dialpad Communications, leading a VoIP communications company.
* Advocate for clear cryptocurrency regulations to foster innovation and protect consumers.
* Potentially appointed to the White House Crypto Advisory Council to advise on cryptocurrency policy.
* Appeared in an interview on “60 Minutes”, discussing the SEC’s impact on Ripple.

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Carlos Domingo:
* Co-founder and CEO of Securitize, a platform for tokenizing financial assets and enabling the issuance, sale, and trading of securities on the blockchain.
* Founder of SPiCE VC, the first tokenized venture capital fund on the blockchain.
* Former CEO of Research & Development at Telefónica and CEO of New Business and Innovation at Telefónica Digital.
* Holds a PhD in Computer Science.
* Fluent in English, Spanish, and Japanese.
* Testified before the U.S. House of Representatives on the tokenization of real-world assets.

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Caroline Butler:
* Global Head of Digital Assets at BNY Mellon, leading digital asset platform strategy and product development.
* Former Global Head of Custody Services at BNY Mellon, overseeing $46 trillion in assets under custody and developing the first direct digital asset custody platform.
* Held leadership roles at J.P. Morgan, including Head of Global Custody Product for the Americas.
* Serves on the board of directors for BNY Mellon’s European bank board, Access Fintech, and the International Securities Services Association (ISSA).
* Holds an undergraduate degree from University of Galway and a post-graduate degree from the Fitzwilliam Institute of Business, Ireland.

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Casey Wagner:
* Senior Reporter at Blockworks, covering cryptocurrency regulation, markets, and central banks.
* Former Reporter at Bloomberg News, focusing on macroeconomics and markets.
* Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Media Studies from the University of Virginia.

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Catherine Gu:
* Global Head of CBDC and Tokenization at Visa, overseeing Visa’s digital currency program and collaborating with central banks and financial institutions.
* Former roles at J.P. Morgan and Man Group, specializing in risk management and macro hedge fund investment strategies.
* Contributed to Anchorage and Gauntlet, gaining hands-on experience in the digital asset industry.
* Stanford University graduate with a background in Engineering and stablecoin research under Professor Dan Boneh.
* University of Cambridge graduate with a focus on Economics.

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Cathie D. Wood
* Role: Founder, CEO, and CIO of ARK Invest
* Experience: Over 40 years in identifying and investing in innovation
* ARK Invest Focus: Disruptive innovation
* Investment Approach: Open, cross-sector, market cap, and geographic approach
* Core Technologies:
* DNA sequencing
* Robotics
* Artificial intelligence
* Energy storage
* Blockchain technology
* Goal: Identify large-scale investment opportunities in public markets driven by technological innovation

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Caitlin Long
* Founder & CEO of Custodia Bank (formerly Avanti Financial Group)
* Former Chairman & President of Symbiont (blockchain technology firm)
* Appointee to the Wyoming Blockchain Task Force
* 22-year Wall Street veteran (Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, Salomon Brothers)
* Advocate for blockchain integration and regulatory clarity in finance
* JD and MPP from Harvard; BA from the University of Wyoming

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Chris Perkins:
* Managing Partner and President of CoinFund, bridging cryptocurrency-native investing and traditional finance.
* Appointed to the CFTC’s Global Markets Advisory Committee and Digital Asset Markets Subcommittee.
* Co-inventor of the Composite Ether Staking Rate (CESR), the first interest rate benchmark in the crypto industry.
* Former Global Co-Head of Futures, Clearing, and FXPB businesses at Citi, responsible for top institutional client services.
* Former U.S. Head of Derivatives Intermediation at Lehman Brothers.
* Iraq War veteran and served in the U.S. Marine Corps for nine years, achieving the rank of Captain.
* Co-founder of Veterans in Digital Assets (VIDA) and Veterans on Wall Street (VOWS), focused on veterans’ employment and empowerment.
* Holds a Bachelor of Science from the U.S. Naval Academy and a Master of Arts in National Security Studies from Georgetown University.
* Member of the Economic Club of New York.

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Chris Solarz:
* CIO of Digital Assets at Amitis Capital.
* Former roles at CIBC World Markets, Société Générale, Antarctica Asset Management, and ING Investment Management.
* Head of Research for Tactical Trading and Relative Value Strategies at SAIL Advisors (family office of Duty-Free Shoppers’ founder).
* Managing Director at Cliffwater LLC, covering global macro and relative value strategies.
* Former CIO of Digital Assets at Forest Road, overseeing a digital assets-focused venture capital fund of funds.
* Holds a BA in Economics and Anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania and an MComm in Finance from the University of New South Wales.
* Has the CFA, CPA, and CAIA designations.
* Set 9 Guinness World Records and completed marathons on all 7 continents and in all 50 US states.

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Chris Tyrer: * Vice President, Head of Institutional at Bullish, leading institutional sales and strategy. * Oversees Bullish exchange and CoinDesk Indices business. * Previously served at Fidelity Digital Assets for over 4 years, holding roles including Head of Institutional, Head of Europe, and President of Fidelity Digital Asset Management. * Former Managing Director at Barclays Investment Bank, where he led Commodities Trading and Digital Assets. * Extensive experience in both traditional financial markets and digital assets.

Clarisse Hagège: * Co-founder & CEO of Dfns. * Former President of the MPC Alliance. * Mentor at Techstars Web3 Launchpad and startup advisor at Station F. * Holds BSc and MSc degrees in Finance, Economics, and Political Science from Sorbonne, Sciences Po, and Dauphine University. * Background in investment banking and corporate treasury at Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, and Crédit Agricole CIB.

Dan Smith: * Data Analytics Manager at Blockworks. * Focuses on data analysis and insights related to digital assets and the blockchain industry.

Dan Tapiero: * Founder, CEO, and CIO of 1RT and 10T Holdings, managing $1.4 billion in the Digital Asset Ecosystem. * Serves on the boards of Ledger, LEDN, Futureverse, and Quicknode. * Founder of DTAP Capital Advisors and co-founder of Gold Bullion International (GBI), later integrating with Uphold in 2014. * Co-founder of Agricultural Company of America (AGCoA), sold to CPPIB in 2013. * Former macro portfolio manager at Duquesne Capital, SAC Capital, Tiger Management, and Steinhardt Management. * Brown University graduate, Phi Beta Kappa, with B.A. and M.A. in European History. * Leads the Investment Committee for Lawrenceville School’s endowment.

David Hoffman: * Co-founder of Bankless. * Focuses on writing investment theses for Ether and Ethereum. * Works to shape the crypto culture and the mindset of crypto adopters. * Holds 99% of his wealth outside of banks and in Ethereum. * Aims to lead others to adopt a crypto-centric lifestyle.

David Kalk: * Founder & CIO of Reflexive Capital, founded in July 2023. * Formerly headed the Macro and Digital Asset teams at Commonwealth Asset Management. * Previously served as CIO at Thiel Macro, supporting Peter Thiel in managing the fund’s risk capital across all macro asset classes. * Started his career as an interest rate swap trader at Goldman Sachs. * Holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from MIT.

David Mercer: * CEO of LMAX Group, a global financial technology company. * Joined LMAX Group in 2011 and played a key role in the company’s growth. * Led the company after a successful management buyout, expanding it into a leading operator of institutional FX and cryptocurrency exchanges. * Offices in 11 countries with a global client base. * Champion of the UK’s fintech sector and a passionate supporter of entrepreneurship in the UK.

David Rodriguez: * Current Role: * Research Services Manager at Blockworks. * Responsible for managing and overseeing research services at Blockworks. * Education: * Master of Science (M.S.) in Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University (2015–2017), with a concentration in Energy Systems. * Master of Business Administration (MBA), Zicklin School of Business (2018–2022). * Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Mechanical Engineering, Binghamton University (2010–2014).

Dean Skurka: * President & CEO of WonderFi. * Led the merger with Coinsquare and Coinsmart, creating the Canadian market leader with over 1.6 million client accounts and $1.5 billion assets under custody. * Notable Achievements: * Oversaw acquisitions of Blockchain Foundry and Bitvo Inc.. * Expanded into the Australian market. * Led Bitbuy Holdings through its acquisition by WonderFi. * Education: * Bachelor of Commerce from Ryerson University, specializing in finance.

Diana Biggs: * Current Role: * Partner at 1kx, a crypto venture firm. * Leads institutional connectivity and supports over 80 portfolio projects. * Notable Roles: * Associate Fellow at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. * Board Member for HIVE Digital Technologies Switzerland. * Former Chief Strategy Officer at Valour, and CEO of its digital asset ETP business. * Previous Experience: * Global Head of Innovation at HSBC Private Banking. * VP and Head of Growth & Partnerships, EMEA at Uphold. * Chief Strategy Officer at Soko. * Consultant with Oliver Wyman Financial Services.

Edward Woodford: * Current Role: * Founder & CEO of Zero Hash, a leading crypto infrastructure platform. * Under his leadership, Zero Hash has raised over $170M, settled $45B+ in transaction volume, and onboarded 5M+ people to the crypto economy. * Recognitions & Awards: * 2024: Recognized as the 4th fastest-growing company in North America by Deloitte's Technology Fast 500™. * 2023: Named 46th fastest-growing company by Inc 5000 and 21st by Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500™. * Honored as a 2025 Titan 100 (Chicago’s Top 100 CEOs). * Named one of the 101 Top CEOs in Fintech by Best Startup US. * Goldman Sachs recognized him as one of the Most Exceptional Entrepreneurs of 2023. * Received 'Best CEO for Diversity' award from Comparably. * Launched and sold a CFTC-registered derivatives execution venue to tastytrade. * First Class B.A. in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from University of Warwick. * Master of Finance from MIT.

Eric Balchunas: Senior ETF Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, leading ETF and fund research. * Contributes to Bloomberg Opinion. * Podcasts & Media: * Co-creator of the Bloomberg podcast Trillions. * Co-host of Bloomberg TV’s ETF IQ. * Publications: * Author of The Bogle Effect (2022). * Author of The Institutional ETF Toolbox (2016). * Speaking Engagements: * Frequent speaker at industry events and conferences. * Education: * Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Environmental Economics from Rutgers University.

Eric Chen: * Current Role: * CEO of Injective Foundation. * Industry Experience: * Over 6 years of experience in the crypto industry. * Key Partnerships: * Injective has attracted interest from major players like Pantera Capital, Mark Cuban, Hashed, and Binance.

Eric Peters: * Current Roles: Founder, CEO & CIO of One River Asset Management and Coinbase Asset Management. * Coinbase Asset Management: Institutional digital asset manager, acquired by Coinbase in 2023. * One River Asset Management: Focuses on volatility, trend, and inflation strategies. * Previous Experience: Chairman of Grant Capital Partners, portfolio manager at Peloton Partners, trader at Lehman Brothers and Credit Suisse, founder of a tech firm. * Public Engagement: Writes wknd notes, read by professionals managing over $1 trillion in assets. * Education: B.A. in Business Economics from Brown University.

Felix Jauvin: * Podcast Host at Blockworks, hosting the "On The Margin" podcast where he discusses macroeconomics and cryptocurrency. * Co-host of the "Forward Guidance" podcast, interviewing financial experts about market trends. * Regular contributor to "The Breakdown" podcast, providing insights on financial topics and market developments. * Focuses on macroeconomics, Federal Reserve policies, and Bitcoin's role in the financial ecosystem. * Known for making bold calls for 2024 and beyond, sharing insights on upcoming market trends with experts like Will Clemente.

Gautam Sharma: * CEO & CIO of BH Digital, the crypto asset management division of Brevan Howard. * Previously led principal investments at Brevan Howard, including overseeing Alan Howard's family office in crypto & fintech. * Spent over 4 years at Steadview Capital, a tech-focused growth stage fund. * Formerly worked for 5 years at McKinsey & Co., specializing in fintech and digital banking transformations.

Greg Genega: * Audit Innovation Manager at KPMG. * 15+ years of experience managing corporate IT data center and network operations. * 8 years of experience in the digital assets space. * Leads KPMG's Innovation group, focusing on blockchain, digital assets, generative AI, and the metaverse. * Manages multiple innovation efforts related to blockchain applications, blockchain node infrastructure, and GenAI applications.

Guy Young: * Founder of Ethena Labs. * 7 years of experience in investment banking, hedge funds, and private equity. * Formerly spent 6 years at Cerberus Management, a firm with $60 billion in assets. * Focused on investing in financial services businesses across the capital structure.

Hadley Stern: * Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) at Marinade, a leading company in the Solana DeFi ecosystem. * SVP of Fidelity Labs from 2007, where he led technology incubations, including blockchain and crypto innovations. * Played a key role in Fidelity’s Digital Asset Services division and developed early digital asset products like bitcoin donations and bitcoin mining. * Became COO at Bloq in 2018, helping the firm grow its enterprise product offerings. * Led global digital asset custody at BNY Mellon, launching the industry’s first bank-grade custody platform for bitcoin and Ethereum. * Advisor to emerging technology businesses and startups in areas like data storage/security, blockchain analytics, and institutional DeFi. * Holds a B.A. from the Rhode Island School of Design and Concordia University, with a focus on Western civilization, culture, and design.

Ian DeBode: * Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at Ondo Finance. * Previously worked at Apex Group, specializing in strategic initiatives and business development. * Has a strong background in financial technology, focused on crypto and digital asset management. * Expertise in structuring products and solutions for institutions in DeFi and traditional finance. * Holds significant experience in venture capital and strategic partnerships.

Jack Kubinec: * Reporter & Podcast Host at Blockworks. * Specializes in covering the digital asset space, particularly in crypto news and blockchain developments. * Hosts and contributes to Blockworks' podcast episodes, focusing on crypto industry insights and market trends. * Known for providing in-depth coverage on developments in the DeFi and cryptocurrency sectors.

Jack O'Holleran: * CEO & Co-Founder of SKALE Labs, the team behind the SKALE Network, a blockchain scalability platform. * Over two decades of experience in enterprise software and blockchain technologies. * Founded several successful startups, including IncentAlign (a digital currency platform) and Aktana (a leading AI platform for the life science industry). * Held senior roles at Good Technology, which was later acquired by Motorola. * Actively involved in the cryptocurrency industry since 2013. * A two-time letterman for the Nebraska Football team and was twice named to the Academic All-Conference first team. * Earned his BS from the University of Nebraska. * Dedicated to creating a more open, transparent, and decentralized world via blockchain technology.

Jake Chervinsky: * Chief Legal Officer at Variant, helping portfolio companies develop legal and regulatory strategies. * Former Chief Policy Officer at Blockchain Association, the largest advocacy group for the crypto industry in Washington, D.C. * Previously General Counsel at Compound Labs, where he helped pioneer "progressive decentralization" in the crypto industry. * Started his legal career at Baker McKenzie LLP, focusing on anti-corruption and anti-money laundering compliance. * Represented clients in cryptocurrency-related securities litigation and government enforcement defense at Kobre & Kim LLP. * Clerked for the Honorable Fernando M. Olguin of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

James Newman: * Co-Managing & General Partner at Republic. * Formerly at Brevan Howard focusing on Crypto, Web3, and Fintech. * Founding team member of WebN Group, creating value with companies like Twinstake and TruFin. * Led restructuring at Elwood, an EMS & PMS provider backed by Goldman Sachs, Citi Bank, and Barclays. * Over 8 years in Web3 and Digital Assets Markets, and 15 years in investment banking. * Advisor to Saltford FC and published papers on finance and regulation. * Holds a Masters in Finance and an Honours Degree in Economics from Durham University. * A Chartered Financial Analyst

Jason Yanowitz: * Co-Founder of Blockworks. * Co-created a leading platform in the crypto and digital assets space. * Has experience in building and scaling media and content-focused companies. * Focuses on delivering in-depth insights and resources for institutional investors in the crypto space.

Jazzi Cooper: * Head of DeFi Product at Ripple. * Leads tokenization and DeFi products within RippleX, focusing on enabling new crypto use cases on the XRP Ledger. * Previously worked as a product manager in mortgage tech and founded a company in the financial health space.

Jeff Park: * Head of Alpha Strategies & Portfolio Manager at Bitwise Asset Management. * Previously a Partner at Corbin Capital Partners, focusing on digital asset investing. * Former Senior Associate at Harvard Management Company, specializing in US Corporate Credit. * Former Exotic Equity Derivatives Trader at Morgan Stanley. * Graduate of Stanford University with a B.A. in Economics and International Relations. * CFA charterholder since 2013.

Jeremy Fox-Geen: * Chief Financial Officer at Circle, the issuer of USDC. * Leads Circle's accounting, corporate development, venture capital, FP&A, investor relations, tax, and treasury functions. * Previously CFO at iStar and Safehold. * Former CFO of McKinsey & Co. North America, focusing on financial services consulting. * Led banking strategy at PwC, specializing in digital strategy and operating model transformation. * Former finance transformation leader at Citi. * Started his career as an investment banker in London with JPMorgan. * Holds an MA in Mathematics and Philosophy from the University of Oxford.

Jim Bianco: * President & Index Manager at Bianco Research Advisors and Bianco Research LLC. * Provides unique, objective commentary on the global economy and financial markets since 1990. * Regularly appears on CNBC, Bloomberg, and Fox Business. * Featured in Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News, Grants Interest Rate Observer, and MarketWatch. * Holds a B.S. in Finance from Marquette University (1984) and an MBA from Fordham University (1989).

John Glover: * Chief Investment Officer at Ledn. * Over 30 years of experience in financial services. * Former Managing Director at Barclays Bank. * Served as board member and partner at Validus, a global risk advisory firm.

John Patrick Mullin: * CEO & Co-Founder of MANTRA, a Layer 1 blockchain for RWA tokenization. * Over 10 years of experience in crypto and digital assets. * Focused on DeFi, tokenization, and Web3. * Has raised tens of millions of dollars for various ventures. * Works with a global team of 75+ builders worldwide.

Jon Charbonneau: * Co-founder of DBA, a New York-based crypto investment firm. * DBA focuses on providing long-term capital to crypto protocols and companies at all stages of maturity. * Active in the crypto space for over a year, with contributions to platforms like Mirror.xyz. * Has analyzed the impact of Jito on the Solana network. * Engaged with Ethereum's North Star problem and shared insights on the topic.

Jonah Van Bourg: * Co-Host of 1000x, a crypto-focused podcast. * Former Global Head of Crypto and Precious Metals Trading at DRW. * Previously a partner and oil trader at Vitol for 7 years. * Managed the global oil trading desk at Goldman Sachs in his early career. * Has 18 years of experience in crude oil and cryptocurrency trading. * Holds a BA in Economics and Statistics from Columbia University.

Jonathan Levin: * Co-Founder & CEO of Chainalysis, a blockchain data platform. * Leads all business functions at Chainalysis, helping government agencies, crypto businesses, and financial institutions leverage blockchain data. * Chainalysis has a presence in over 50 countries globally. * Regularly called to testify before the U.S. Congress and other government hearings on cryptocurrency risks and opportunities. * Former CEO of Coinometrics, which provided the first blockchain intelligence dashboard. * Holds a BSc in Economics from Bristol University and was a postgraduate economist at the University of Oxford. * Lives in New York.

Jonté Harrel: * CFO of ZenLedger, a leading crypto tax and compliance software. * Formerly led Finance teams at Amazon Prime Now and Whole Foods Online. * Held roles as Treasury Director at Wells Fargo and Trader at Credit Suisse. * Awarded the Bronze Star and four Commendation Medals for leadership during his time in the U.S. Army. * Early crypto enthusiast.

Joseph (Joe) Cutler: * Partner at Perkins Cole, focusing on regulatory exposure and compliance for blockchain and crypto companies. * Provides guidance on financial services, including money transmission, exchange, and emerging payment solutions. * Helps companies with obtaining state money transmission licenses and registering with FinCEN as money services businesses. * Represented CoinMe, Washington state's first licensed bitcoin company, and the first cryptocurrency point-of-sale solution for the cannabis industry. * Counselled 15 U.S. representatives and senators on integrating blockchain into government functions. * Testified before Washington State legislative committees on blockchain and cryptocurrency legislation. * Focuses on combating cybercrime and enforcing website terms of use.

Karl-Martin Ahrend: * Founding Partner at Areta, a firm focused on blockchain and digital assets. * Experienced in venture capital, blockchain technology, and digital asset investments. * Has a strong background in building innovative solutions for the digital economy. * Focused on scaling blockchain startups and providing strategic support for emerging technologies.

Kevin de Patoul: * Co-founder and CEO of Keyrock, a company specializing in digital asset liquidity and market-making. * Previously worked at Roland Berger as a consultant before diving into the cryptocurrency space in 2014. * Holds a background in Business Engineering and International Management. * Passionate about using innovative technologies to build more efficient markets and promote financial inclusiveness.

Kristin Smith: * CEO of the Blockchain Association, representing over 100 leading cryptocurrency and blockchain companies. * Serves as a board member of the Filecoin Foundation for the Decentralized Web. * Liaises between policymakers and the cryptocurrency industry to help shape legislation and regulation. * Recognized as a leading advocate for the industry through media interviews, op-eds, and global speaking engagements. * Featured in Fortune’s 2020 40 Under 40, CoinDesk’s 2021 50 people who defined the year in crypto, and CoinTelegraph’s 2022 Top 100 Influencers in Crypto and Blockchain. * Previously served nearly 10 years as a Senate and congressional aide on Capitol Hill, focusing on technology policy.

Kyle Samani: * Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Multicoin Capital, a thesis-driven cryptofund investing in tokens and companies reshaping the global economy. * Co-founded Pristine (Upskill, 2017), an enterprise software company that provides solutions for deskless workers using smart glasses. * Recognized thought leader on blockchain and cryptoeconomics. * Holds degrees in Finance and Management from NYU Stern. * Has been programming since he was 10 years old. * Based in Austin, Texas.

Ladan Stewart: * Partner at White & Case in the White Collar and Investigations practice. * Global Head of Fintech at White & Case, specializing in crypto and fintech regulatory enforcement, advisory, and litigation. * Former Assistant Director and Regional Trial Counsel at the SEC’s Division of Enforcement, where she led the SEC’s crypto litigation team. * Has over 8 years of experience at the SEC.

Lucas Bruder: * CEO of Jito Labs, which builds high-performance MEV infrastructure for Solana. * Jito Labs’ products, Jito-Solana and the Jito Block Engine, run on 27% of Solana’s stake. * Previously worked on robotics control systems for self-driving bulldozers and embedded firmware at Ouster and Tesla. * Holds a degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.

Luigi D'Onorio DeMeo: * Works at Ava Labs, a leading blockchain platform known for the Avalanche ecosystem. * Has a strong background in blockchain technology and the cryptocurrency space. * Focuses on technical and strategic aspects at Ava Labs, driving innovation and development in the industry. * Known for thought leadership in decentralized finance (DeFi) and blockchain scalability.

MacKenzie Sigalos: * Tech Reporter at CNBC, specializing in digital, broadcast, and streaming platforms. * Award-winning journalist, with coverage in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the U.S.. * Founding co-host and contributor of Crypto World on CNBC, covering the crypto industry. * Previously worked at CNN in New York and Hong Kong, covering foreign affairs and business news for shows like Fareed Zakaria’s and Anderson Cooper’s programs.

Manoj Vasudevan: * Director & Portfolio Manager at KAUST Investment Management Company. * Oversees the Global Real Estate Portfolio and Blockchain/Crypto Investments for the company. * Responsible for manager selection, sourcing, underwriting investments, and structuring transactions across various formats like co-investments and joint ventures. * Holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor's in Electronics from BITS Pilani, India.

Marco Santori: * Chief Legal Officer at Kraken Digital Asset Exchange. * A recognized authority in blockchain law and policy. * Former Chief Legal Officer at Blockchain.com and Partner at Cooley LLP and Pillsbury Winthrop. * Specialized in advising on money transmission, securities laws, and anti-money laundering regulations. * Author of the SAFT Project Whitepaper, a self-regulatory effort for Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs). * Advisor to the International Monetary Fund and Blockchain Ambassador to the State of Delaware. * Former Chairman of the Regulatory Affairs Committee at the Bitcoin Foundation.

Markus Infanger: * Senior Vice President at RippleX, overseeing Ripple’s contributions to the XRP Ledger (XRPL). * Manages product developments, partnerships, and the growth of the developer ecosystem. * Board Member at Futureverse, an AI and metaverse technology and content company. * Over 20 years of experience in leading roles at financial institutions. * Passionate about integrating traditional finance with blockchain technology. * Based in London and holds an Executive MBA from the TRIUM program.

Marshall Beard: * Chief Operating Officer at Gemini, overseeing global commercial and operational activities. * Leads teams in Strategy & Corporate Development, International, Institutional, Trading, Business Development, Marketing, Communications, Customer Support, and Client Services. * Former roles at Gemini include leadership in Corporate Development and Finance. * Previously Chief of Staff at Barstool Sports, focusing on corporate strategy and operations. * Started his career at Prudential Financial and later worked as a management consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers on mergers and acquisitions.

Matt Higginson: * Partner at McKinsey & Company. * Specializes in advising clients on strategy, growth, and operational challenges. * Focuses on digital transformation, particularly in the technology, media, and telecommunications sectors. * Works closely with organizations on innovation, data strategy, and adopting new technologies. * Experienced in helping clients navigate complex business environments and drive impactful change.

Matt Homer: * General Partner at The Department of XYZ. * Board member at Gemini Trust Company and Standard Custody & Trust. * Former leader of blockchain investments at Nyca Partners. * A two-time former regulator with significant experience in digital assets. * As Executive Deputy Superintendent at the New York State Department of Financial Services, he oversaw licensing and supervision of digital asset firms and led the Department’s innovation agenda. * Worked at Plaid, a prominent fintech unicorn. * Began his career as a strategy consultant at Deloitte. * Held roles at FDIC, US Agency for International Development, and advised organizations such as the UN Capital Development Fund, World Bank, and Cambridge Center for Alternative Finance. * Holds a master's from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Matt Hougan: * Chief Investment Officer at Bitwise Asset Management, a pioneer in cryptoasset index funds with over $1.2 billion in assets under management. * Former CEO of ETF.com, where he helped build the world’s first ETF data and analytics system and organized the world’s largest ETF conference, Inside ETFs. * Co-author of "A Comprehensive Guide to Exchange-Traded Funds" and "Cryptoassets: The Guide to Bitcoin, Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies for Professional Investors" for the CFA Institute’s Research Foundation. * A crypto columnist for Forbes and a three-time member of the Barron’s ETF Roundtable. * Recognized as a leading expert in crypto, ETFs, and financial technology.

Matthew Sigel: * Head of Digital Assets Research at VanEck. * Portfolio manager of Smart Contract Leaders, one of VanEck's liquid token funds. * Previously a portfolio manager and analyst at AllianceBernstein.

May Michelson: * Director of Sales, Americas at GK8 by Galaxy. * Focuses on shaping strategic opportunities for end-to-end digital asset custody. * Formerly served in an elite intelligence unit of the Israel Defense Forces. * Co-founder of Fintech Ladies IL Community, a network for executive women in fintech. * Holds a dual degree in Computer Science and Business from Tel Aviv University.

Meltem Demirors: * Founder and General Partner at Crucible, an early-stage fund investing in digital infrastructure. * Previously served as Chief Strategy Officer at CoinShares, Europe's largest digital asset investment firm. * Part of the founding team at Digital Currency Group, helping grow the company significantly. * Lecturer at MIT and Oxford; active angel investor in over 100 startups. * Career began in the oil and gas industry before transitioning to crypto in 2015. * Studied Math and Economics at Rice University and holds an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management.

Michael Anderson: * Co-founder of Framework Ventures, one of the largest VC firms in blockchain. * Framework was a pioneer in investing in Decentralized Finance (DeFi), making early investments in projects like Chainlink, Aave, Synthetix, and The Graph. * Recently raised $400M for Framework’s third fund, expanding into web3 gaming, real-world assets, and social crypto. * Previously co-founded and sold Hashletes, a digital collectible startup with official NFL licensing. * Former product manager at Snapchat and Dropbox, focusing on monetization platforms.

Michael Ippolito: * Co-founder of Blockworks, overseeing content and finance. * Prior to Blockworks, worked as a consultant, advising mid-market manufacturing companies on operational efficiency, capital efficiency, and M&A strategy.

Michael Selig: * Partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP. * Specializes in digital assets and related regulatory issues. * Advises clients on blockchain, cryptocurrency projects, and financial regulations. * Previously worked as a research analyst and portfolio manager. * Has worked across both traditional finance and crypto sectors.

Michael Saylor: * Executive Chairman of MicroStrategy (MSTR), a publicly traded business intelligence firm and holder of ₿439,000. * Founder of Alarm.com (ALRM) and named inventor on 48+ patents. * Author of the book "The Mobile Wave". * Founder of the Saylor Academy, providing free education to over 2 million students. * Advocate for the Bitcoin Standard. * Holds dual degrees from MIT in Aerospace Engineering and History of Science.

Michelle Noyes: * Managing Director, Head of Americas at AIMA (Alternative Investment Management Association). * Joined AIMA in 2012 and became Head of Americas in 2017. * Co-chairs AIMA’s Digital Asset Working Group (AIMA DAWG). * Previously Head of International Sales and Investor Relations for BRZ Investimentos. * Represented AIMA in Brazil and helped establish the AIMA Brazil network. * Holds a B.A. and M.A. from New York University and is a CAIA Charterholder.

Mike Belshe: * Co-Founder & CEO of BitGo, a company focused on security, compliance, and custodial solutions for blockchain-based currencies. * Internet Pioneer with significant contributions to the tech industry. * Former engineer at Google, one of the first engineers dedicated to building Chrome. * Creator of the SPDY protocol and lead author of HTTP/2.0, the protocol used for loading web pages today. * Co-founded Lookout Software in 2003, which was acquired by Microsoft. * Held management positions at companies like Netscape, Good Technology, and Critical Path. * Inventor with over 10 technology patents.

Mike Bucella: * Co-Founder of Neoclassic Capital (launched 2024). * Former General Partner at BlockTower Capital (2017-2024), a US-based digital asset investment firm. * At BlockTower, expanded strategies in hedge funds, venture capital, credit, DeFi, and co-investments. * Career began at Goldman Sachs (2008-2017), including: * Vice President in Securities Division, leading global equities in Canada and multi-asset platform. * Co-founded the Multi-Asset Platform desk at Goldman Sachs. * Board Member at TeraWulf Inc. (WULF). * Mentor at University of Toronto’s Creative Destruction Labs blockchain stream (since 2018). * Frequent guest on CNBC and Bloomberg. * Holds a Bachelor’s in Finance & Accounting from Fordham University.

Mike Cagney: * Co-Founder & CEO of Figure Technologies, applying blockchain to lending, payments, and exchanges. * Co-Founder of Provenance Blockchain, an open-source blockchain for financial services. * Former CEO & Chairman of SoFi, a leading marketplace lender. * Co-Founder of Cabezon Investment Group, a global macro hedge fund. * Non-Executive Chairman of ReFlow Services, a tax and liquidity solution for mutual funds. * Former Founder & CEO of Finaplex, sold to Broadridge. * Former SVP and Head Trader at Wells Fargo Bank. * Holds M.S. Management from Stanford and M.S. Applied Economics.

Mike Cahill: * Co-Founder & CEO of Douro Labs, the company leading the development and growth of the Pyth Network, the largest first-party financial oracle network. * Over 15 years of finance experience, most recently at Jump Trading. * Started his career at Morgan Stanley in FX institutional sales. * Frequently featured in Bloomberg TV, Financial Times, WSJ, Fortune, Forbes, and other media outlets like Blockworks, Coindesk, Real Vision. * Has appeared on notable podcasts including ‘The Wolf of All Streets’, ‘On the Brink’, ‘FTX Builders and Innovators’, and ‘Logan Jastremski’.

Mike Novogratz: * Founder and CEO of Galaxy Digital, a leading cryptocurrency investment firm. * Former Partner and President of Fortress Investment Group LLC. * Spent 11 years at Goldman Sachs, where he was elected Partner in 1998. * Served on the New York Federal Reserve’s Investment Advisory Committee on Financial Markets from 2012–2015. * Chairman of The Bail Project, focusing on criminal justice reform. * Sits on the Board of Overseers at NYU Langone Medical Center. * Board member of Princeton Varsity Club and the Jazz Foundation of America. * Holds an AB in Economics from Princeton University. * Served as a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Army.

Mohamed A. El-Erian * Current Roles: Chief Economic Advisor at Allianz, President of Queens' College, University of Cambridge * Former Roles: CEO & Co-CIO at PIMCO, President & CEO of Harvard Management Company * Boards/Committees: Chair of Gramercy Fund Management, contributing editor at Financial Times, board member of Barclays, Under Armour * Books: Author of When Markets Collide (2008), The Only Game in Town (2016) * Recognition: Foreign Policy's "Top 100 Global Thinkers" (4 years), Lifetime achievement award from 57357 Hospital for Children * Education: Ph.D. in Economics from Oxford, Undergraduate from Cambridge

Nathan McCauley: * CEO & Co-Founder of Anchorage Digital, a global crypto platform founded in 2017, purpose-built for institutions. * Anchorage Digital is the first and only federally regulated crypto bank in the United States, offering regulated on-chain services like staking, settlement, and governance under its OCC charter. * Nathan has testified before the U.S. Congress and worked closely with global policymakers to bring crypto into the regulatory perimeter. * Writes about institutional crypto adoption, decentralized finance, crypto market structure, cybersecurity, and financial innovation. * Before founding Anchorage Digital, he built and led the security team at Docker. * He was also an early employee at Square (Block), where he led the team that built the infrastructure security platform, which now processes over $228 billion in payments annually.

Omar Naeem: * Founder & CINO (Chief Innovation Officer) of Lw3. * Before founding Lw3, Omar spent over 15 years wandering the periphery of Wall Street, gaining various experiences. * He previously founded Lou & Sons, a placement agent that didn’t gain much recognition. * After realizing the lack of intelligence and alignment in his previous endeavors, Omar came up with the concept for Lw3. * He is a registered representative of Blue Sand Securities (FINRA/SIPC), though Blue Sand Securities is not affiliated with Lw3.

Pascal Gauthier: * Chairman & CEO of Ledger, a company that develops secure devices for managing and storing cryptocurrencies and NFTs. * Career Beginnings: Started at Kelkoo, later acquired by Yahoo. * Former COO at Criteo, where he played a key role in the company’s pivot to advertising and global expansion. * Served as Venture Partner at Mosaic Ventures, a London-based VC firm. * Non-Executive Chairman of Kaiko, a leading digital data analytics provider in the cryptocurrency space. * Became Chairman & CEO of Ledger in 2019, overseeing the expansion of their product line, including Ledger Live and Ledger Stax.

Paul Brody: * Global Blockchain Leader at EY, driving blockchain initiatives across consulting, audit, and tax. * Led the development of Blockchain.EY.com and committed EY to public blockchains, including Ethereum. * Key contributor to the Baseline protocol and developer of the first smart contract testing and on-chain audit platforms. * Chairman of the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance (EEA) and pioneer of Nightfall (privacy tech for Ethereum). * EY Blockchain named market leader in the HFS Horizons Public Blockchain Services report (2023). * Author of "Ethereum for Business" (2023) for C-level executives. * Bachelor’s degree in Economics and African Studies from Princeton University. * Thought leader with over 73 blogs on CoinDesk and a member of the executive board of Fast Company since 2024.

Pedro Gomes * Founder & Director, WalletConnect Foundation * Founder of WalletConnect Network, facilitating secure connections between wallets and decentralized apps * Author of several Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) * Founding member of Chain Agnostic Improvement Proposals (CAIPs) initiative, setting standards for multi-chain blockchain projects

Pranav Kanade: * Portfolio Manager for VanEck's Digital Assets Alpha Fund. * Over 11 years of finance experience. * Former Credit Portfolio Manager at Millennium Management. * Founding member and Head of Research for the Liquid Credit investing business at Angelo, Gordon & Co.. * Previously Managing Director/Research Analyst at Hutchin Hill Capital, focusing on Technology and Energy. * Began career in credit research at UBS during the European credit crisis. * Holds a BS in Finance and Accounting with a specialization in Entertainment, Media, and Technology from New York University.

Raghav Chopra: * Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Tephra Digital, a digital assets investment firm backed by Jefferies. * Former Portfolio Manager of a $600 million technology hedge fund portfolio at AllianceBernstein LP. * Previously worked at The Blackstone Group. * Began career in private equity at The Carlyle Group and in investment banking at Goldman Sachs & Co. (2006). * Holds an MBA with High Distinction from Harvard Business School (George F. Baker Scholar). * Earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and Economics with Distinction from Yale University. * Serves on the Board of Directors of the Harvard Club of New York City Foundation and Argo Blockchain plc.

Rajeev Bamra: * Head of Strategy for Digital Economy at Moody's Ratings, based in New York. * Leads the strategy and operations group, shaping Moody's readiness for the digitalization of the global economy. * Plays a pivotal role in integrating digital currencies, decentralized technologies, AI, Quantum, and emerging digital risks like cybersecurity into Moody's ecosystem. * Authored research papers and thought leadership on digital economy infrastructure and leveraging blockchain and AI. * Represents Moody's at industry events, panels, webinars, and podcasts.

Ray Hindi: * Co-Founder, CEO, and CIO of L1D. * Investment background in venture, hedge funds, and interest rate trading. * Former CIO of Bellegarde Capital AG, focusing on fintech, blockchain, and alternative investments. * Previously at Swiss Capital (StepStone Group), managing macro outlook, macro hedge funds, and event-driven coverage. * Worked at Harcourt Investment Consulting AG (USD 6bn fund of hedge funds), managing USD 2bn in investments (rates, macro, and distressed). * Started his career at Bloomberg LP and then traded interest rates at a London-based proprietary group. * Holds a BEng from University College London (UCL) and an MSc in Finance from Imperial College.

Ray Kamrath: * CEO of Bakkt (joined in December 2023 as the Head of Institutional Solutions). * 30 years of experience in capital markets. * Former Global Head of Foreign Exchange and Prime Brokerage at Jefferies, where he transformed the business using advanced trading algorithms. * Previously Managing Director at Goldman Sachs in Foreign Exchange, leading Sales and Global Electronic Trading. * Has been involved in crypto through various entrepreneurial and executive roles since 2018. * Graduate of the University of Virginia.

Rich Widmann: * Global Head of Strategy for Web3 at Google Cloud, founding member of Google’s Web3 business. * Led the launch of Google Cloud’s Web3 developer tools, widely used by major protocols. * Executed Google's first stablecoin payment for services. * Former litigator in regulatory and white-collar investigations, including the FIFA World Cup bribery case. * Represented Ethereum founders in high-stakes regulatory engagements. * Held director-level roles at a crypto custodian and a nationally chartered bank. * Adjunct professor at Northwestern Law, teaching JD/MBA cryptocurrency course. * Holds a Juris Doctorate from Northwestern, a Master's from University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor’s in History.

Richard Teng CEO of Binance since November 2023 * 30+ years in financial services & regulation * Former CEO, Financial Services Regulatory Authority (ADGM) * Former Chief Regulatory Officer, Singapore Exchange (SGX) * Former Director of Corporate Finance, Monetary Authority of Singapore * Masters in Applied Finance, University of Western Australia

Rob Hadick: * General Partner at Dragonfly, a ~$2.5bn crypto-focused global investment firm. * Joined Dragonfly in 2017, focusing on bleeding-edge innovations in centralized and decentralized finance, payments, money, and digital asset infrastructure. * Early backer of influential crypto protocols and companies like 1inch, Avalanche, Compound, Polygon, and more. * Previously led multi-stage public and private investing in crypto protocols and companies at GoldenTree Asset Management (GTAM), a ~$50bn hedge fund. * Also invested and advised fintech, technology, and crypto companies at Heritage Partners, Goldman Sachs, and PJT Partners. * Holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, where he co-founded the Columbia Blockchain Club. * Graduated with a Bachelor's in Economics and Political Science from Washington University in St. Louis.

Robert Leshner: * CEO & Co-Founder of Superstate, an asset management firm focused on tokenized financial products. * Co-founded Compound Labs in 2017, developing one of the first DeFi applications. * Venture investor at Robot Ventures and co-host of The Chopping Block, a crypto-native podcast. * Designed smart contracts including Governor Bravo and the ERC-7246 token standard, Encumber. * Holds a degree in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). * Former chair of the San Francisco Revenue Bond Oversight Committee.

Robert Mitchnick: * Head of Digital Assets at BlackRock, responsible for driving the company’s digital assets strategy. * Member of the Corp Exec-COO Executive team at BlackRock. * Prior experience at CPP Investment Board in Public Markets and Private Investments, and at Ripple. * Co-authored the paper 'A Fundamental Valuation Framework for Cryptoassets' with Susan Athey. * Holds a BA & BCom from Queen's University, and an MBA from Stanford (Arjay Miller Scholar, Robichek Award winner in Finance). * Certified in Blockchain Technologies from MIT Sloan and is a CFA Charterholder.

Rune Christensen: * Co-Founder of Sky, a prominent company in the crypto space. * He is actively involved in the crypto industry and often speaks at key events, such as Blockworks in New York. * Rune has played a pivotal role in developing and shaping the future of decentralized finance and blockchain technologies.

Ryan Connor: * Research Manager at Blockworks. * Actively involved in the crypto industry with a focus on research and analysis. * Frequently speaks at events such as Blockworks in New York, sharing insights on cryptocurrency and blockchain developments. * Contributes to Blockworks' thought leadership on various trends and innovations within the crypto space.

Ryan Silva: * Partner and Head of Trading at Borderless, a Web3 investment management firm. * Former Head of Trading at BlockTower Capital, an institutional investment firm focused on digital and traditional assets. * Previously Senior Portfolio Manager at Celsius, leading global CeFi Trading and Market Insights teams. * Past experience as Portfolio Manager at KLS Diversified, a global macro and fixed income hedge fund. * Worked at RBS Greenwich Capital and Merrill Lynch & Co., specializing in global banking and markets. * CFA Charterholder and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Northeastern University.

Ryan Watkins: * Co-Founder of Syncracy Capital, a thesis-driven hedge fund focused on high conviction investments in the cryptoeconomy. * Former Senior Research Analyst at Messari.

Sadie Raney: * Co-Founder & CEO of Strix Leviathan, a quant digital asset hedge fund. * CEO of Eve Wealth, empowering women in financial well-being. * Co-founded Makara, an SEC-registered crypto advisor, acquired by Betterment in 2022. * Former Financial Controller at Blue Box, leading its acquisition by IBM. * Held financial roles at MTR Western, Aramark, and Grand Bank Yachts; started at Deloitte. * Advisor to Franklin Payroll, Jetson, and Veriledger. * Mentor at IESE Business School and a member of Female Founders Alliance. * Featured in Hedge Fund Journal's 50 Leading Women and 100 Women in Finance. * Holds a B.A. from Pepperdine and an M.B.A. from University of Washington.

Sandy Kaul: * Senior Vice President at Franklin Templeton, providing advisory and thought leadership at the Franklin Templeton Institute. * Specializes in investment and wealth management, focusing on digital disruption and distribution trends. * Over 25 years of experience in sell-side, buy-side, and consulting, with a strong research background. * Frequent speaker and published author on industry advancements. * Former Managing Director and Global Head of Business Advisory Services at Citi. * Previously worked at Commodities Corporation, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Scient, and m.a.partners/Detica. * Holds a Bachelor’s in History and Political Science from Colgate University.

Santiago Roel Santos: * Web3 Investor focused on the intersection of DeFi and the Web3 metaverse (NFTs/gaming). * Former Partner at ParaFi Capital, one of the largest crypto funds specializing in DeFi. * Previously worked at Sageview Capital, investing in Internet and software. * Prior experience at JP Morgan in investment banking. * Began investing in crypto in 2012. * Known for his identity as CryptoPunk #9159.

Sébastien Derivaux: * Chef & Co-Founder of Steakhouse Financial, a boutique consulting business for DeFi protocols. * Focuses on Real-World Assets (RWA) and Asset-Liability Management. * Led RWA efforts at MakerDAO starting in 2020. * Holds a PhD in Data Science from Strasbourg University. * Shares thoughts on Crypto Banking Network.

Sergey Nazarov: * Co-Founder of Chainlink, a leading platform for onchain data and cross-chain interoperability. * Chainlink has securely enabled over $17 trillion in transaction value across sectors like banking, tokenization, DeFi, and global trade. * Sergey has worked in blockchain since 2014, founding one of the earliest tokenization platforms and tools for live smart contracts. * In 2016, he demoed one of the first “smart bonds”, connecting Swift messaging standards to blockchain networks. * Collaborates with major institutions such as Swift, DTCC, Fidelity, and ANZ to accelerate global blockchain adoption.

Shawn Douglass: * Co-Founder and CEO of Amberdata, a leading provider of global digital asset infrastructure. * Extensive career in technology, finance, and investments, with a focus on cloud computing, data analytics, and digital asset markets. * Former President of Software and CTO at Unified, leading SaaS offerings in cross-platform data management, analytics, and reporting. * Previously CTO at ServiceMesh (acquired by CSC), contributing to the development of the Agility Platform for IT transformation. * Former Managing Director at EMC Ventures, driving investments in cloud computing, cybersecurity, big data, and emerging technologies. * Recognized cloud visionary with over a decade of experience in shaping enterprise cloud operating models. * Graduate of Harvard Business School.

Shervin Pishevar * Role: Entrepreneur and Investor at Sherpa Capital * Notable Contributions: * Played a key role in creating or championing 11 groundbreaking industries: * Hyperloop * On-Demand Economy * Ride Sharing * Cloud Computing * Cloud Kitchens * Sharing Economy * App Stores * Social Gaming * Social Networking * Quantum Computing and AI * New Cities–Network States Industries * Investments: He has invested in a range of successful companies, such as Uber, Airbnb, Slack, and Virgin Hyperloop. His investments have helped shape tech and infrastructure industries. * Founding Sherpa Capital: As a co-founder of Sherpa Capital, he has supported the growth of numerous startups across various sectors. * Public Advocacy and Thought Leadership: Pishevar is vocal about the future of innovation, infrastructure, and technology, often discussing topics like decentralization, AI, and the future of cities.

Shyam Nagarajan: * Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Hedera. * Over 20 years of experience in scaling AI, blockchain, and digital transformation. * Former key leadership roles at IBM, where he led responsible AI and blockchain initiatives, driving triple-digit growth. * Played a significant role in developing IBM's COVID pass solutions, adopted by NYC and reaching over 12 million users. * Previously served on Hedera's Board of Directors and Technology Committee. * Educational background includes a BA in computer engineering from Madurai Kamaraj University, executive diplomas from Harvard and Columbia, and a certificate in AI product development from MIT.

Sid Powell: * CEO & Co-Founder of Maple Finance. * Founded Maple Finance in 2019 alongside Joe Flanagan. * Background in debt capital markets and institutional banking. * Experience in corporate bond issuance, contributing to over $3B. * Former Treasurer for a commercial lending company in Australia. * Maple Finance has originated over $5B in institutional lending and currently holds over $550M in assets on its platform. * Aims to be the global leader in tokenized private credit and the first choice for institutional borrowers.

Solomon Tesfaye: * Head of Capital Markets at Aptos Labs, a leading institutional-grade Layer 1 blockchain. * Former Head of Capital Markets and Business Development at tZERO, a global liquidity platform for private securities and digital assets. * Previous experience as an investment banker at Citi, specializing in M&A, IPOs, and private placements within Diversified Industrial coverage. * Worked as a seed-stage venture capital investor at Kapor Capital. * Held various operation leadership roles and co-founded a web-based platform. * Earned an MBA from Johnson School of Management at Cornell University, where he was a Roy H. Park Leadership Fellow and an eLab Incubator & Accelerator Fellow.

Staci Warden: * CEO of the Algorand Foundation. * Formerly ran the Global Market Development practice at the Milken Institute, focusing on capital market development, crypto/blockchain solutions, and innovative finance. * Led JPMorgan's EMEA public sector practice in London. * Previously led Nasdaq's two markets for microcap companies. * Held senior roles at U.S. Treasury Department, the Center for Global Development, and the Harvard Institute for International Development. * Serves on the Boards of the Global Blockchain Business Council, the Rwandan Capital Market Authority, and the Energy for Growth Hub. * Advisor for the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), European Parliament’s Science and Technology Committee (STOA), the U.S. Financial Technology Association, and Evolution Environmental Asset Management.

Stani Kulechov: * Founder & CEO of Avara. * Pioneer in decentralized finance (DeFi) and web3 social. * Strong advocate for decentralized solutions and a fairer internet. * Founder of Aave (DeFi protocol), GHO (stablecoin), Lens (web3 social protocol), and Family (mobile crypto wallet). * Avara’s vision is a people-powered internet that benefits everyone.

Steven Goldfeder: * CEO of Offchain Labs. * Developed Arbitrum, the largest and most advanced Ethereum tech stack. * Authored "Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies". * Pioneered multi-party computation, influencing blockchain interaction for consumers and institutions.

Sumit Sharma: * Vice President at NAV Fund Services. * Specializes in Fund Administration, focusing on Business Development and Sales Growth through strategic client relationships and innovative solutions. * Recognized for Problem Solving skills in the financial services industry. * Contributed to NAV Fund Services being honored as the Best Digital Assets Fund Administrator at the Hedgeweek US Digital Assets Summit in March 2023. * Served as a speaker at the GAIM Ops Cayman event in April 2025, discussing the future outlook of cryptocurrency.

Talia Klein: * Product Lead for Tokenization at BNY (Bank of New York Mellon). * Led digital asset custody platform, first of its kind by a global systemically important bank. * Formerly worked at Digital Asset Holdings on blockchain and smart contract tech for major financial institutions. * Started career at JPMorgan Chase, developing products like the collateral eligibility service. * Holds a BA in Psychology from Barnard College and an MBA from Duke University. * Inventor on one approved and one pending patent application.

Tom Armstrong: * Head of Compliance Advisory at TRM Labs. * Former VP & Head of Financial Crime Compliance, Digital Assets at Goldman Sachs.

Tyler Neville: * Partner at Corriente Advisors, a macro thematic hedge fund focused on bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. * Previously traded equities & derivatives at several hedge funds and Franklin Templeton. * Served as Editorial Director at Real Vision and Blockworks.

Vance Spencer: * Co-Founder of Framework Ventures, one of the largest VC firms in the blockchain industry. * Pioneered investments in DeFi with early stakes in Chainlink, Aave, Synthetix, The Graph, and more. * Framework Ventures raised $400M for its third fund, expanding into web3 gaming, real-world assets, and social crypto. * Co-founded Hashletes, a digital collectible startup with NFL licensing, which was sold. * Previously worked at Netflix in Los Angeles and Tokyo, contributing to the relaunch of the Japan business and leading corporate development for northern Asia.

Wiley Nickel: * United States Representative for the 13th District of North Carolina during the 118th Congress. * Served in a 50/50 toss-up district in Raleigh and surrounding metro areas. * Member of the Financial Services Committee and Digital Assets Subcommittee. * Advocate for expanding the group of pro-crypto Democrats. * Led efforts to secure 71 House Democrats' support for FIT21 and was the Democratic lead on the Congressional Review Act to overturn SAB121. * Prior to Congress, served as a North Carolina State Senator, attorney, and worked for two White House administrations.

William Benattar: * Technology Investor at Marshall Wace, overseeing Fintech and Digital Assets investments for the MW Digital Finance Fund. * Joined Marshall Wace in May 2022. * Previously worked at Candy Capital, a family office, responsible for technology sector investments. * Formerly at HSBC and Greyspark Partners, heading Fintech Investment Advisory. * Active seed investor across digital assets and fintech.

Yorke Rhodes III: * Director of Strategy & Transformation | Traceability & Blockchain at Microsoft. * Focuses on leveraging blockchain and emerging technologies to revolutionize supply chain with a focus on traceability, forced labor prevention, and Scope 3 emissions attribution. * Rejoined Microsoft in 2014 and co-founded Blockchain at Microsoft in 2015. * Previously held roles in wireless internet startups, Goldman Sachs, and IBM. * Contributed to the founding of Zeta Interactive and worked on mobile and web ecommerce. * Educator at NYU SPS, teaching Ecommerce and Emerging Technologies in Ethical Sourcing. * Holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from NYU's Courant Institute of Mathematics.

Yves La Rose: * Founder of exSat Network, a docking layer for scaling the BTC ecosystem. * Began mining Bitcoin in 2010, sparking his interest in decentralized networks. * Developed his first computer and program at the age of seven. * Worked for the Canadian Government and the Assembly of First Nations. * Lived in Japan for several years, immersing himself in Eastern culture and building a strong network of business and tech leaders. * Known for his ability to navigate leadership with political savvy and cultural awareness.