Cryptocurrencies, decentralized finance (DeFi), and blockchain are evolving to having increasingly practical applications. Join us for a discussion of how growth of these areas will drive innovation in financial markets and other industries.
Discussion topics included (but not be limited to):
– How concerned should traditional financial players be about the growth of cryptocurrencies and DeFi?
– What needs to happen for cryptocurrencies to be available for practical everyday use?
– How does the growth of DeFi and the blockchain fit into the larger theme of Web3/NFTs/the Metaverse?
– Would the development of a US government issued stable coin be a positive or a negative for cryptocurrencies?
– How will cryptocurrency regulation evolve over the next few years and will increased regulation be a net positive or negative?
ABOUT THE PANELISTS:
Basel Ismail, CEO, Blockcircle
Bio:
Basel is the CEO of Blockcircle, a market-leading quantitative cryptocurrency and NFT market analysis and data intelligence company. Basel provides consulting and advisory services to global companies in several areas, including data science, financial technology, information security, blockchain technology, cryptocurrencies, financial engineering, and product development. He also runs Biltmore Digital, a multi-venture company that owns and operates digital and physical properties. Prior to these roles Basel was Director of Product Engineering and Data Science for American Express and worked in Consulting for Corporate Services and Real Estate for Goldman Sachs.
Paul Hsu, Founder and CEO, Decasonic
Bio: Paul is the Founder and CEO of
Decasonic, a Chicago-based venture and digital assets fund specializing in blockchain, decentralized finance (DeFi), gaming, metaverses, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), and Web3. Paul has worked in the technology industry since the late 1990s and is a recognized industry thought leader, especially in emerging technologies such as blockchain, gaming, and Web3. As a product and growth executive at Zynga, Paul spearheaded several user retention and monetization initiatives, including in-game virtual currencies, free-to-play virtual goods, platform currencies, and other digital assets. Prior to Zynga, Paul was a founding member of NeoCarta, a $300M technology venture fund.
Nathan Dean, Senior Policy Analyst, Bloomberg Intelligence
Bio:
Nathan is a Senior Policy Analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence, a research platform that provides context on industries, companies, government, litigation, and the economy. Nathan covers Congress, the White House, and regulatory agencies including the Federal Reserve and their impacts on capital markets. Before joining Bloomberg, Nathan worked in the government affairs departments for the CME Group and Bank of America where he focused on the implementation of the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Nathan also served as an expert for legislators, policymakers, and regulators on the impact of government policy on the financial services industry.