Public Key

Tokenization of real world assets is all the rage in crypto for 2024 and  Ian Andrews (CMO, Chainalysis)  sits down with Chris Tyrrell, Chief Risk and Compliance Officer of Ondo Finance, to share their role as a frontrunner in tokenizing US treasuries. Chris shares regulatory compliance challenges, Ondo's global operations and partnerships with major players like BlackRock and how throughout his career he has bridged the inferentrial gaps in conversations when speaking with traditional institutions and regulators. Chris discusses the significant shift in 2017 that brought institutional attention to cryptocurrencies and explains Ondo's approach to the compliant tokenization of US treasuries and the planned expansion into more asset classes. He emphasizes the benefits of tokenization such as composability, rapid settlement and an innovative approach to yield distribution, contrasting it with traditional stablecoins and underscored the importance of robust risk management tools, highlighting the integration of Chainalysis for Know Your Ecosystem risk monitoring.  Minute-by-minute episode breakdown 2 | Chris’ journey from crowdfunding, TradFi and changing his mind about crypto in 2017 7 | The benefit of having tokenized US Treasury Bills on the blockchain 10 | Ondo Finance’s global operations and regulatory approach 13 | Managing ecosystem risk and compliance in DeFi assets 16 | Ondo Finance’s strategy for global tokenization of real world assets (RWAs) 22 | Tokenization and institutional partnership with BlackRock 27 | Bridging inferential gaps in Tradfi and blockchain conversations 30 | How Ondo Finance uses Chainalysis tools to balance compliance and tokenization Related resources Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key. Website: Ondo Finance: Institutional-Grade Finance, Now Onchain Website: Flux: Lend and borrow stablecoins against tokenized US Treasuries Blog: Introducing "Know Your Ecosystem" (KYE): The Next Frontier in AML for Token Issuers Blog:: Introducing Ondo Global Markets - A New Paradigm for Securities Tokenization Blog: Bridging the Gap: Institutional Insights on Tokenization with Ondo Finance Blog: North America: Institutional Momentum and U.S. Bitcoin ETPs Propel Crypto Further Into the Mainstream Webinar: On-Demand Series: Crypto Adoption Webinar Series: What Drove the Crypto Bull Run in 2024? Reports: The 2024 Geography of Crypto Report (Download now!) YouTube: Chainalysis YouTube page Twitter: Chainalysis Twitter: Building trust in blockchain Speakers on today’s episode Ian Andrews *Host* (Chief Marketing Officer, Chainalysis)  Chris Tyrrell (Chief Risk and Compliance Officer, Ondo Finance) 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. 

3 times a charm! This is the 3rd time Erin West (Deputy District Attorney, Santa Clara County, Office of the District Attorney) has appeared on the podcast speaking with Ian Andrews (CMO, Chainalysis) and all 3 episodes have been the most downloaded episodes in Public Key history. Erin talks about the evolution of combating crypto crimes, from SIM swapping to pig butchering scams.  She highlights the growing efforts with the Crypto Coalition and Operation Shamrock and how she will be leaving her position as Deputy District Attorney in Santa Clara to pursue operating Operation Shamrock full time. She reveals the bottleneck when it comes to combating pig butchering including victim shaming and the transnational organization of criminal syndicates.   She also highlights the need for a unified national strategy against crypto-related scams and increased public private partnerships and collaboration, which in part earned her the Chainalysis Customer Bridge Builder Award and recognition as the ACAMS AFC Professional of the year.  Minute-by-minute episode breakdown 2 | Erin West's impactful work in SIM Swapping and Pig Butchering and law enforcement 4 | The global threat of Pig Butchering Scams and transnational organized crime syndicates 6 | Psychological manipulation and its impact on educated and technical professionals 8 | Being named Chainalysis Customer Award winner as Bridge Builder of the Year (2024)  9 | Building bridges in cryptocurrency investigations and global collaboration with REACT Taskforce and Operation Shamrock  13 | Collaborative solutions to combat Pig Butchering scams 17 | The bottleneck of fighting Pig Butchering is handling victims  20 | Erin West retires from Santa Clara DA office to lead Operation Shamrock as nonprofit 23 | House Committee on Financial Services hears about Pig Butchering and crypto scams 26 | OFAC sanctions Cambodian tycoon and businesses linked to Pig Butchering scams 29 | The future of Operation Shamrock and combatting Pig Butchering  Related resources Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key. Website: Operation Shamrock: Educate. Seize. Disrupt Website:REACT Taskforce: Regional Enforcement Allied Computer Team (REACT) Blog: Announcing Chainalysis’ 2024 U.S. Public Sector Customer Awards Program Announcement:  ACAMS: AFC Professional of the Year (2024): Erin West Video: U.S. House Committee on Financial Services:Protecting Americans’ Savings: Examining the Economics of the Multi-Billion Dollar Romance Confidence Scam Industry. Press Release: Treasury Sanctions Cambodian Tycoon and Businesses Linked to Human Trafficking and Forced Labor in Furtherance of Cyber and Virtual Currency Scams Blog: 2024 Crypto Crime Mid-year Update Part 2: China-based CSAM and Cybercrime Networks On The Rise, Pig Butchering Scams Remain Lucrative Podcast: Episode 45: How Law Enforcement is Combating Pig Butchering Crypto Scams (with Erin West and Alona Katz) YouTube: Chainalysis YouTube page Twitter: Chainalysis Twitter: Building trust in blockchain Speakers on today’s episode Ian Andrews *Host* (Chief Marketing Officer, Chainalysis)  Erin West (Deputy District Attorney, Santa Clara County, Office of the District Attorney) 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. 

When we think about the crypto company that has cracked the real world adoption problem and given access to people internationally who want access to the US dollar and foreign currency, we have to describe Tether as being that company. In this episode, Ian Andrews (CMO, Chainalysis) talks with the CEO of Tether and CTO of Bitfinex, Paolo Ardoino about what the future of decentralization looks like for finance, communication and the exchange of value.  Paolo shares his journey and the evolution of blockchain and stablecoins, addressing criticisms and highlighting Tether's robust financial position and attestation of reserves. He also outlines plans for decentralized communication, tokenization of financial assets as ecosystems amidst a burgeoning landscape. The duo highlights Tether's collaboration with law enforcement and Chainalysis and the potential implications of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) on privacy and banking. Minute-by-minute episode breakdown 2 | Paolo Ardoino's journey from coding to leading Tether 4 | Tether's Impact on global cryptocurrency market and real world adoption 8 | From CTO to CEO: Paolo shares how embracing resilience and independence led to success 12 | Holepunch: Revolutionizing communication with peer-to-peer technology 17 | Tether's financial resilience amidst scrutiny and market challenges 26 | Tether's collaboration with law enforcement and importance of blockchain transparency 32 | Alloy, Dirham backed stablecoin and Tether's strategy for tokenizing global financial assets 35 | The future of blockchains, CBDCs and why Telegram’s TON Network is so interesting Related resources Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key. Website: Tether: Technology to empower individuals, communities and nations to become self-sustainable, independent and free Website: Holepunch: The peer-to-peer company News:  Tether Assists U.S. Department of Justice in Seizing Over $6 Million in Alleged Proceeds Linked to Crypto-Confidence Scheme News: Tether Aids Dutch Authorities, U.S. Secret Service in Takedown of Major Crypto Money Laundering Operations Announcements: Tether to Develop UAE Dirham-Pegged Stablecoin Report: Tether Attestation and Transparency Reports Blog: Sub-Saharan Africa: Nigeria Takes #2 Spot in Global Adoption, South Africa Grows Crypto-TradFi Nexus Blog: OFAC Designates Russia-Based Cybercrime Syndicate, Evil Corp, in Joint Effort with UK’s FCDO and Australia’s DFAT YouTube: Chainalysis YouTube page Twitter: Chainalysis Twitter: Building trust in blockchain Speakers on today’s episode Ian Andrews *Host* (Chief Marketing Officer, Chainalysis)  Paolo Ardoino (CEO, Tether and CTO, Bitfinex) 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. 

If you are an active listener of this podcast, guests keep coming to this word decentralization.  But the definition of decentralization is quite vague at the moment, with some companies using this term to avoid regulatory compliance oversight and others wanting to create a legal framework that  allows for token issuance,  smart contract enabled governance and prescribing token holder rights. In this episode, Ian Andrews (CMO, Chainalysis) tries to get more clarity on what decentralization really means to regulators, as he speaks to Dmitry Fedotov, who is Head of DLT Foundations Oversight at ADGM, the Abu Dhabi regulators who created the world’s first framework for blockchain foundations, DAOs and web3 entities. His journey as an entrepreneur served him well as he transitioned to the regulators, even his first days working for the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), when the FTX collapsed and he had to provide a better understanding of the events to both the public and private sector. Dmitry and Ian talk about what decentralization really means and how the ADGM created the  world’s first purpose-built framework for blockchain foundations,DAOs and web3 entities, offering regulatory clarity and legal frameworks that are attracting global entities and fostering innovation in the blockchain space.  Minute-by-minute episode breakdown 2 | Dmitry’s early days of AI, decentralized system and buying Bitcoin in 2014 6 | From Bitcoin enthusiast and entrepreneur to Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA)  8 | Introducing the world's first purpose built framework for blockchain foundations, DAOs and web3 entities 13 | Blockchain Foundation’s journey to becoming fully decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) 16 | Progressive decentralization in blockchain and the regulatory challenges that ensue 19 | DAOs: To regulate or not to regulate that is the question  22 | What are the limitations of the EU MiCA regulations for Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) 26 | Why Hacken and other DLT focused companies are eyeing ADGM as their new headquarters  Related resources Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key. Website: ADGM: The Financial Centre of Abu Dhabi Framework:  World’s First Framework for Blockchain Foundations, DAOs, and Web3 Entities Regulation: ADGM: Distributed Ledger Technology Foundations Regulations Guidance: ADGM: Guidance on Permitted Activities for DLT Foundations Article: Cointelegraph: Tether plans to launch dirham stablecoin with UAE partners Announcement: ADGM, Hacken partner to set new benchmarks for blockchain security and compliance Blog: Middle East & North Africa: Regulatory Momentum and DeFi Fuel Adoption Blog: OFAC Designates Russian Exchange Cryptex and Fraud Shop Facilitator UAPS, FinCEN names PM2BTC YouTube: Chainalysis YouTube page Twitter: Chainalysis Twitter: Building trust in blockchain Speakers on today’s episode Ian Andrews *Host* (Chief Marketing Officer, Chainalysis)  Dmitry Fedotov (Head of DLT Foundations Oversight, ADGM) 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.  

Russia has become an international force using cryptocurrency for sanctions evasion, ransomware attacks and most recently malign interference in the US elections. Ian Andrews (CMO, Chainalysis) speaks with colleagues,  Valerie Kennedy (Director of Intelligence Solutions, International) and Andrew Fierman (Head of National Security Intelligence) on the heels of Russia enacting significant legislation changes including legalizing cryptocurrency mining and permitting the use of crypto for international payments. The trio explore Russia’s utilization of sanctioned crypto platforms like Garantex, the rising use of Telegram for illicit activities and the global implications of their election interference and disruptive tactics across the USA, Europe and beyond. They highlight that Russia’s affiliated media firms were funneling millions to US-based influencers to spread propaganda, the use of bot networks and the troubling rise of online platforms selling compromised social media accounts. This is a must listen, as Russia has become the international focus when it comes to geopolitical hotspots.  Minute-by-minute episode breakdown 2 | Valerie Kennedy’s cyber background and transition into working at a crypto exchange 4 | Is Russia leading the crypto industry in sanctions evasion, elections interference and ransomware attacks?  6 | Understanding Russia’s secondary sanctions dilemma  10 | Russian sanctions evasion using crypto and traditional fiat  14 | Russian media companies bankrolling American influencers to create Pro-Russia propaganda  20 | The effectiveness of Sanctions against illicit Russian actors in the crypto industry 23 | Russia’s attempt to influence other countries and using spies and crypto to do so 26 | The significant of Telegram Founder getting arrested and the controversial use of the messaging platform 28 | Why are manufacturers of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) being sanctioned? 32 | How sanctioned Russian exchange, Garantex is still thriving using stablecoins 35 | Key takeaways for compliance officers navigating Russian connected typologies   Related resources Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key. Website: Chainalysis: The Blockchain Data Platform Press Release: Operation Final Exchange: German Federal Criminal Police Office shut down almost 50 crypto  money laundering platforms Report: The Chainalysis Malign Interference and Crypto Report Blog: Russia’s Cryptocurrency Pivot: Legislated Sanctions Evasion Blog: OFAC Sanctions Russian Drone Developer KB Vostok Linked to Ukraine Invasion Blog: International Agencies Sanction Russian National Dmitry Yuryevich Khoroshev, Leader of Cybercrime Group LockBit, for Developing and Distributing Ransomware Blog: OFAC Sanctions Hydra Following Law Enforcement Shutdown of the Darknet Market, As Well As Russian Exchange Garantex News: The Washington Post: Inside Tenet Media, the pro-Trump ‘supergroup’ allegedly funded by Russia YouTube: Chainalysis YouTube page Twitter: Chainalysis Twitter: Building trust in blockchain Speakers on today’s episode Ian Andrews *Host* (Chief Marketing Officer, Chainalysis)  Valerie Kennedy (Director of Intelligence Solutions, International, Chainalysis) Andrew Fierman (Head of National Security Intelligence, Chainalysis) 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. 

Why build another DeFi product or platform when there are already so many? Well that is both a good question and an unfortunate problem highlighted by  Ian Andrews (CMO, Chainalysis) in today’s episode as he speaks to the CEO of Tea-Fi, Matan Doyich.  Matan and his team are creating a one-stop shop for the wide variety of DeFi platforms in order to have the ability to conduct swaps, provide lending, execute decentralized trades and all the other core fundamental products of DeFi, all in one place. Matan details Tea-Fi’s features, including its privacy-focused solutions using ZK technology and the ambitious goal of integrating lending, swaps, and synthetic assets with upcoming support for cross-chain transactions and a debit card. He provides his insights on International regulatory scrutiny towards privacy protocols like Tornado Cash and explains why Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) could be the future of adding privacy to existing crypto solutions.  Minute-by-minute episode breakdown 2 | Simplifying DeFi: How Tea-Fi plans to turn a complex ecosystem into one user-friendly platform  4 | Matan’s crypto journey from algorithmic trading to creating a crypto hedge fund   8 | Balancing privacy and regulation in decentralized finance (DeFi) 12 | Understanding the focus by regulators on Tornado Cash and Telegram as money laundering conduits 17 | Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) could be the future of adding privacy to existing crypto solutions 20 | Unveiling the Tea-Fi ecosystem including DEXs, swap protocols and landing platforms 24 | How Tea-Fi will be able to offer uncollateralized crypto loans via their network reward program 26 | What does Tea-Fi excited about for the end of 2024 Related resources Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key. Website: Tea-Fi: The One-Stop Shop For DeFi Whitepaper: Tea-Fi Whitepaper: Private Decentralized Finance Roadmap: Tea-Fi Roadmap - 2024 to 2025 Blog: 2022 Biggest Year Ever For Crypto Hacking with $3.8 Billion Stolen, Primarily from DeFi Protocols and by North Korea-linked Attackers Article: Tea-Fi: One-Stop Shop for DeFI Report: The 2024 Global Adoption Index: Central & Southern Asia and Oceania (CSAO) Region Leads the World in Terms of Global Cryptocurrency Adoption YouTube: Chainalysis YouTube page Twitter: Chainalysis Twitter: Building trust in blockchain Speakers on today’s episode Ian Andrews * Host * (Chief Marketing Officer, Chainalysis)  Matan Doyich (CEO, Tea-Fi) 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. 

Bitcoin is back. It could be attributed to the increasing prices, Bitcoin ordinals or the development of Layer 2 initiatives on the most secure blockchain ever. In today’s episode, Ian Andrews (CMO, Chainalysis) speaks with Stanford Professor and Co-founder of BabylonChain, Davide Tse, to explore how Bitcoin can be used to secure proof of stake networks without the use of bridges.  The episode kicks off with an introduction to BabylonChain, a protocol designed to leverage Bitcoin for securing proof of stake networks using Bitcoin's native time lock feature and cryptographic methods to ensure both security and incentivization of honest behavior by stakers. David discusses his early days collaborating with Vitalik Buterin to identify vulnerabilities in Ethereum’s move to proof of stake and highlights the renewed interest in Bitcoin, powered by recent ETF approvals and L2 projects. Minute-by-minute episode breakdown 2 | Why Bitcoin is the perfect asset to secure Proof of Stake blockchains  4 | David Tse’s past life focused on wireless infrastructure to figuring out how to scale Bitcoin  6 | Collaborating with Vitalik Buterin to transition Ethereum to a Proof of Stake protocol 8 | Integrating Bitcoin with Proof of Stake without bridging 13 | What is Babylon Chain and how does it work  18 | The renewed interest in Bitcoin due to Bitcoin ETF approvals and Bitcoin L2 projects  22 | The collaboration with Nubit, the first Bitcoin-native data availability layer 24 | How Babylon Chain can go from testnet to mainnet  26 | What assets are staking rewards paid in? 28 | Bitcoin is Back and the innovation that will be built on top of it  Related resources Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key. Website: BabylonChain: Unlocking 21 Million Bitcoin to Secure the Decentralised Economy Blog: What is Bitcoin Staking? Article: Forbes: How Bitcoin Usage Could Skyrocket Thanks To Zero-Knowledge Proofs Article: Blockworks: Yes, staking actually should be regulated Blog: Zero-Knowledge Rollups and Optimistic Rollups: An Overview Report: The 2024 Global Adoption Index: Central & Southern Asia and Oceania (CSAO) Region Leads the World in Terms of Global Cryptocurrency Adoption YouTube: Chainalysis YouTube page Twitter: Chainalysis Twitter: Building trust in blockchain Telegram: Chainalysis on Telegram  Speakers on today’s episode Ian Andrews * Host * (Chief Marketing Officer, Chainalysis)  David Tse (Co-Founder, BabylonChain) 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.  

Very rarely do you get to listen to top visionaries like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Sam Altman talk about technological shifts that changed the world, but in today’s episode, Ian Andrews (CMO, Chainalysis) speaks with Michael Gronager (Co-Founder & CEO, Chainalysis) about building the the first blockchain analytics company that forever will change cryptocurrency industry. Michael takes us on his journey  from chemistry and computational studies to virtual reality and launching one of the first crypto exchanges.  He shares his innovative approach to cryptography and distributed systems and how this benefited him with his time at building up Kraken and recounts the early days of cryptocurrency before regulations and bank acceptance on his path to creating Chainalysis. The duo discuss the evolution of crypto compliance, the creation of Chainalysis' flagship solution, Reactor, on a shoestring budget and the challenges faced in bringing transparency to the crypto world.  Minute-by-minute episode breakdown 2 | Michael’s journey from chemistry to computational studies to virtual reality 8 | What happened when Michael finally hears about Bitcoin in 2010 11 | Challenges and innovation in Bitcoin micro payments 17 | Launching Kraken: Overcoming challenges in early crypto exchange era 24 | The industry tipping point that started the creation of Chainalysis  32 | The serendipitous journey of the founding team of Chainalysis and first investor / customer convos 39 | Crypto is starting to look more like finance rather than finance looking more like crypto 42 | The evolution of trust and stablecoins in the crypto ecosystem  Related resources Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key. Website: Chainalysis: Building Trust in Blockchains Blog: How the Chainalysis Crypto Investigations Solution Supports Cases From Lead Discovery to Illicit Seizures Article: Edge Middle East: How an 11-hour flight inspired Michael Gronager’s $8.6B Chainalysis prototype Podcast: Public Key: Ep. 11 - Chainalysis: The Past, The Present, The Future Article: World Economic Forum: Why we still need cryptocurrency for an ‘internet of value’ Blog: OFAC Sanctions Russian Drone Developer KB Vostok Linked to Ukraine Invasion Report: The Chainalysis Malign Interference and Crypto Report YouTube: Chainalysis YouTube page Twitter: Chainalysis Twitter: Building trust in blockchain Tik Tok: Building trust in #blockchains among people, businesses, and governments. Telegram: Chainalysis on Telegram  Speakers on today’s episode Ian Andrews * Host * (Chief Marketing Officer, Chainalysis)  Michael Gronager (Co-Founder & CEO, Chainalysis) 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.

Ian Andrews, CMO at Chainalysis, hosts Hugo Philion, CEO of Flare Network, a pioneering figure transitioning from hedge fund trading to blockchain. They discuss the vital role of decentralized oracles in providing reliable data, differentiating Flare's solution from vulnerable alternatives. Hugo elaborates on the importance of integrating KYC and AML into blockchain, shedding light on regulatory challenges. The conversation also covers cross-chain interoperability, the flaws in current data systems, and how innovations in Flare aim to enhance security and collaboration.

Ian Andrews, CMO of Chainalysis, and Alice Nawfal, co-founder and COO of Notabene, dive into the evolving landscape of the Travel Rule and its impact on crypto transactions. Alice discusses her journey from decentralized identity to Travel Rule compliance, highlighting infrastructure challenges. They explore the role of the EU’s MiCA in enhancing trust, the need for real-time counterparty risk assessments, and the complexities of self-hosted wallets. The duo emphasizes streamlined compliance as key to future crypto innovations.