Public Key

Kimberly Donovan, Director of the Economic Statecraft Initiative at the Atlantic Council, sheds light on the intersection of cryptocurrency and global sanctions. She discusses her transition from government to becoming a key voice in national security. The conversation dives into how countries like Russia and North Korea leverage crypto to bypass sanctions. Kimberly also emphasizes the importance of anti-money laundering measures to prevent the misuse of blockchain and the broader implications for global trade dynamics.

The US has been viewed as having a regulation by enforcement policy, but now they are focusing on becoming the leader of blockchain and stablecoin legislation. In this episode,Eitan Danon (Content Marketing Manager Chainalysis) covers a lot of crypto regulatory ground, speaking with George Georgiades (General Counsel, Borderless.xyz) as they talk stablecoins, regulation and US digital asset policymaking. George provides insights on the intrinsic value blockchain technology brings to the financial sector, specifically with stablecoins, highlighting their impact on global payment systems and the groundbreaking potential they hold for the future of finance. He also provides an astute analysis of the evolving regulatory environment surrounding digital assets, emphasizing the need for clarity in legislation to foster innovation, while reflecting on the early days of blockchain exploration.  Minute-by-minute episode breakdown 2 | George’s journey working with traditional securities and entrance into crypto 4 | ICO’s, tokenized assets and balancing innovation and regulation 6 | How US Regulators could lead the world in crypto legislation 9 | The biggest lawsuits filed by the SEC including Coinbase and NFT Marketplaces  10 | [UPDATED] George summarizes recent lawsuits settled against crypto frims 12 | Borderless Labs and their mission to revolutionize global payments with stablecoins 17 |The future of stablecoin regulation and adoption 22 | Managing transactions speed and on-chain data in the modern world of payments  25 | Regulating celebrity endorsements and consumer protection in NFTs and memecoins 29 | Biggest predictions and breakthroughs in the digital asset industry in the USA    Related resources Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key. Website: Borderless Labs: Empowering banking between traditional & emerging markets Website: Borderless.xyz: Global rails powering stablecoin money movement companies Article: Securities implications on "Hawk Tuah Girl" memecoin $HAWK Interview: Preparing for a stablecoin regulatory push in 2025 with George Georgiades, General Counsel at Borderless.xyz Report: The Chainalysis 2025 Crypto Crime Report (Download Your Copy Today) Conference: Chainalysis Links NYC (April 1 & 2, 2025) ** Get Tickets Now !!! Blog: Chainalysis Provides Automatic Token Support on Solana YouTube: Chainalysis YouTube page Twitter: Chainalysis Twitter: Building trust in blockchain Telegram: Chainalysis on Telegram Speakers on today’s episode Eitan Danon *Host*  (Content Marketing Manager Chainalysis) George Georgiades (General Counsel, Borderless.xyz)  This website may contain links to third-party sites that are not under the control of Chainalysis, Inc. or its affiliates (collectively “Chainalysis”). Access to such information does not imply association with, endorsement of, approval of, or recommendation by Chainalysis of the site or its operators, and Chainalysis is not responsible for the products, services, or other content hosted therein. Our podcasts are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to provide legal, tax, financial, or investment advice. Listeners should consult their own advisors before making these types of decisions. Chainalysis has no responsibility or liability for any decision made or any other acts or omissions in connection with your use of this material. Chainalysis does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of the information in any particular podcast and will not be responsible for any claim attributable to errors, omissions, or other inaccuracies of any part of such material.  Unless stated otherwise, reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Chainalysis. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by Chainalysis employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company. 

You can’t go to a crypto conference in 2025 without a company or a speaker mentioning the convergence of AI and digital assets. In this episode, Jason Somensatto (Head of North America Public Policy at Chainalysis) sits down with Michael Greenwald (Global Head of Financial Innovation and Digital Assets, Amazon Web Services (AWS)) to dive into the intricate world where digital assets meet cloud infrastructure through AWS. Michael shares his backstory working with the Department of Treasury and how that entered him into the world of decentralized finance and terrorist financing. He discusses AWS's essential role in supporting the digital  transformation in global finance, while also addressing the implementation challenges and potentials of generative AI in this evolving landscape. Michael outlines the critical transition from legacy financial systems to agile, cloud-enhanced infrastructures, which is imperative for economic competitiveness and highlights the commitment of AWS in enhancing digital asset scalability, cybersecurity, and collaborations with public and private sector.  Minute-by-minute episode breakdown 2 | Amazon AWS's Role in crypto and digital assets 4 | From Treasury to AWS: Michael’s  journey through finance and technology 8 | The intersection of AI and digital assets in finance and cloud computing 14 | Enhancing blockchain security with AWS and Generative AI 19 | Collaboration between public and private sectors in digital assets 23 | AWS's role in the future of digital assets and global customer adoption  27 | What’s in store for AWS and their digital asset and AI journey Related resources Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key. Website: AWS: New AWS generative AI innovations Website: Amazon Q Developer: The most capable generative AI–powered assistant for software development Article: Enhancing public sector digital asset security and efficiency with generative AI (by Michael Greenwald and Paul Grewal) Article: The convergence of AI and digital assets: A new dawn for financial infrastructure (by Forrest Colyer, John Liu, and Michael Greenwald) Report: The Chainalysis 2025 Crypto Crime Report (Download Your Copy Today) Blog: Leveraging Transparency for Collaboration in the Wake of Record-Breaking Bybit Theft YouTube: Chainalysis YouTube page  Twitter: Chainalysis Twitter: Building trust in blockchain Telegram: Chainalysis on Telegram Speakers on today’s episode Jason Somensatto *Host*  (Head of North America Public Policy, Chainalysis) Michael Greenwald (Global Head of Financial Innovation and Digital Assets, Amazon Web Services (AWS)) This website may contain links to third-party sites that are not under the control of Chainalysis, Inc. or its affiliates (collectively “Chainalysis”). Access to such information does not imply association with, endorsement of, approval of, or recommendation by Chainalysis of the site or its operators, and Chainalysis is not responsible for the products, services, or other content hosted therein. Our podcasts are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to provide legal, tax, financial, or investment advice. Listeners should consult their own advisors before making these types of decisions. Chainalysis has no responsibility or liability for any decision made or any other acts or omissions in connection with your use of this material. Chainalysis does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of the information in any particular podcast and will not be responsible for any claim attributable to errors, omissions, or other inaccuracies of any part of such material.  Unless stated otherwise, reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Chainalysis. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by Chainalysis employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company. 

Andrew Fierman, Head of National Security Intelligence at Chainalysis and a sanctions and cryptocurrency expert, discusses the upcoming Chainalysis 2025 Crypto Crime Report. He highlights the alarming rise of crypto services used by illicit actors, focusing on North Korea's financing methods and the role of Russian Instant Exchangers. The conversation unpacks the emerging alliances between nations like Russia, Iran, and China, and emphasizes how blockchain technology is reshaping sanctions enforcement while posing significant national security risks.

In this engaging discussion, Carole House, a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council and former White House National Security Council advisor, highlights the critical need for public-private partnerships to tackle cybercrime and illicit finance. She advocates for using blockchain's transparency to deter criminals and emphasizes AI's potential to enhance compliance and cybersecurity initiatives. With insights from her military and regulatory background, Carole explores the national security challenges posed by cryptocurrency and the importance of accountability in the digital economy.

Trisha Kothari, CEO & Founder of Unit21, leverages her journey from a Google intern to leading a RegTech startup tackling fraud in the age of AI and crypto. In this discussion, she shares insights on the rampant rise of digital scams and the transformation of fraud detection. Trisha emphasizes the importance of innovative AI solutions while addressing how traditional KYC practices are failing. The conversation also touches on the surge of deepfake scams and the urgent need for better compliance strategies in the fast-evolving financial landscape.

Solana, AI agents, predictions markets and memecoin culture. These are just some of the many  predictions that anonymous crypto veteran, @redphonecrypto (Crypto and AI storyteller, Delphi Labs) shares with Bry, Senior Solutions Architect, Chainalysis) in what is one of the most jam packed episodes of 2025.  He shares insights from his industry leading theses including AI's economic impact, Solana's retail trading resurgence and the potential mainstream integration of crypto by tech giants.  He also provides predictions on decentralized networks, LLM-powered apps, the evolution of prediction markets and the emergence of memecoin culture that has shocked the industry. The duo also explore decentralized science, gaming, and the concept of web4 and its potential to eclipse web3. A must-listen for crypto enthusiasts and those curious about the future of finance and technology. Minute-by-minute episode breakdown 2 |The anonymity and security concerns in the crypto world 4 | Delphi Labs and the emergence of crypto and AI projects 8 | Crypto's mainstream integration and Solana's retail trading surge 14 | Predictions for 2025: The rise of LLM-based agents and prediction markets  24 |  The future of tokenized assets and decentralized finance 30 | DePIN revolutionizing infrastructure, science  and gaming 37 | X (twitter) announces new payment partnership with Visa 40 | Memecoins and AI-driven attention markets 45 | The evolution of crypto from memecoins to institutional investment 48 | Bitcoin DeFi and the emergence of ordinals  50 | DeepSeek, AI and the future of crypto and blockchain Related resources Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key. Website: The best place to build web3 products Article: 69 Theses: Predictions, lessons and longs for 2025 Newsletter: This newsletter is an idea… a reminder that power is an illusion that belongth to us ALL (& not to the few) Blog: Market Manipulation: Suspected Wash Trading on Select Blockchains May Account for Up To $2.57 Billion in Trading Volume Blog: Illicit Volumes Portend Record Year as On-Chain Crime Becomes Increasingly Diverse and Professionalized Blog: Cryptocurrency donations to extremist groups dip globally, but white supremacism, nationalism, and anti-Semitism grow across Europe Report: The Chainalysis 2025 Crypto Crime Report (Reserve Your Copy Today) YouTube: Chainalysis YouTube page Twitter: Chainalysis Twitter: Building trust in blockchain Speakers on today’s episode Bry *Host* (Senior Solutions Architect, Chainalysis) @redphonecrypto (Crypto and AI storyteller, Delphi Labs) This website may contain links to third-party sites that are not under the control of Chainalysis, Inc. or its affiliates (collectively “Chainalysis”). Access to such information does not imply association with, endorsement of, approval of, or recommendation by Chainalysis of the site or its operators, and Chainalysis is not responsible for the products, services, or other content hosted therein. Our podcasts are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to provide legal, tax, financial, or investment advice. Listeners should consult their own advisors before making these types of decisions. Chainalysis has no responsibility or liability for any decision made or any other acts or omissions in connection with your use of this material. Chainalysis does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of the information in any particular podcast and will not be responsible for any claim attributable to errors, omissions, or other inaccuracies of any part of such material.  Unless stated otherwise, reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Chainalysis. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by Chainalysis employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company.     

Matthew Pines, Director of Security Advisory at SentinelOne and a cybersecurity expert, dives into the intriguing links between cryptocurrency and national security. He discusses how Bitcoin intersects with AI and its implications for U.S.-China relations. The conversation highlights China's digital currency strategies and their potential impact on global finance. Pines also addresses pressing cybersecurity challenges and the responsibilities of the private sector amidst evolving geopolitical tensions, all while weaving in fascinating insights on emerging technologies.

Lesley Chavkin, Global Head of Public Policy at Paxos, shares her extensive experience from the CIA to shaping crypto regulations. She discusses the urgent need for a cohesive U.S. stablecoin framework to maintain global financial dominance. The conversation delves into Paxos’ strategic partnerships, like with PayPal, and the implications of the EU’s MiCA framework. Lesley emphasizes the importance of consumer protection, regulatory clarity, and combating misinformation around stablecoins, highlighting their potential for mainstream adoption.

The criminal landscape is evolving and nobody knows this better than the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) unit, who has been an international leader when it comes to combating crypto and cyber-related crimes. In this episode, we are lucky to have Jim Lee (Global Head of Capacity Building, Chainalysis), who previously spent almost 30 years in IRS-CI sit down with Jarod Koopman, a leading figure in government law enforcement and the Executive Director of Cyber and Forensic Services at IRS-CI Investigations. The duo discuss the evolving landscape of financial crimes and the crucial role of digital assets and cyber technology, while Jarod shares his extensive experience and how his career shifted towards cyber investigations as cryptocurrencies gained prominence. He explains how IRS-CI stays ahead of crime through an innovative approach to investigations and deep international partnerships and collaborations in law enforcement and highlights the need for authorities around the world to stay on top of emerging typologies and the use of cutting edge AI technology. Minute-by-minute episode breakdown 2 | Jarod’s early days as a Federal agent working high stakes investigations 4 | The evolution of crime and cryptocurrency's impact on investigations  7 | Challenges in combating cybercrime and crypto-related offenses 11 | Global collaboration in combating crypto-related crimes 17 | International alignment in fighting tax crimes in crypto 22 | Unveiling the new IRS-CI's Advanced Collaboration and Data Center (“ACDC”) 28 | Understanding tax obligations for cryptocurrency gains in the US 32 | Government agencies face challenges amid budget cuts and hiring freezes 34 | Exploring AI and digital assets in financial fraud prevention  38 | Law enforcement's strategic approach to the Metaverse 40 | Emerging blockchain crimes and AI threats in Law Enforcement  Related resources Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key. Website: IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) serves the American public by investigating potential criminal violations of the Internal Revenue Code and related financial crimes Report: IRS-CI 2024 Annual Report  Article: Taxpayers need to report crypto, other digital asset transactions on their tax return Article: Former security engineer sentenced to three years in prison for hacking two decentralized cryptocurrency exchanges Blog: 2025 Crypto Crime Report Preview: $2.2 Billion Stolen from Crypto Platforms in 2024, but Hacked Volumes Stagnate Toward Year-End as DPRK Slows Activity Post-July Blog: Cryptocurrency in the War Zone: A Closer Look at Recent Events in Syria YouTube: Chainalysis YouTube page Twitter: Chainalysis Twitter: Building trust in blockchain Tik Tok: Building trust in #blockchains among people, businesses, and governments. Speakers on today’s episode Jim (James) Lee * Host * (Global Head of Capacity Building, Chainalysis)  Jarod Koopman (Executive Director, Cyber and Forensic Services, IRS - Criminal Investigation) This website may contain links to third-party sites that are not under the control of Chainalysis, Inc. or its affiliates (collectively “Chainalysis”). Access to such information does not imply association with, endorsement of, approval of, or recommendation by Chainalysis of the site or its operators, and Chainalysis is not responsible for the products, services, or other content hosted therein. Our podcasts are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to provide legal, tax, financial, or investment advice. Listeners should consult their own advisors before making these types of decisions. Chainalysis has no responsibility or liability for any decision made or any other acts or omissions in connection with your use of this material. Chainalysis does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of the information in any particular podcast and will not be responsible for any claim attributable to errors, omissions, or other inaccuracies of any part of such material.  Unless stated otherwise, reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Chainalysis. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by Chainalysis employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company.