The Policy Layer

Yiming Ma from Columbia Business School and Anthony Zhang from UChicago explore the intricacies of stablecoins and their impact on financial stability. Learn about the critical role of arbitrage in maintaining price stability and the potential risks associated with these digital assets.  Check out their paper here .

Nehan Sethi and Jordan Teague (Web3 Attorneys at Campbell Teague) explore how AI challenges traditional notions of authorship and creativity, and the potential for blockchain to revolutionize IP protection.

Congressman French Hill (R-AR 2nd District), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Digital Assets, discusses the groundbreaking H.R. 4763 bill and its impact on the future of blockchain regulation. Tune in to understand how this bipartisan effort aims to balance innovation and consumer protection in the digital asset space. 

Dimitrios Psarrakis (Financial Economist and co-founder of Value Verse) provides expert insights on blockchain regulation and its implications for financial competitiveness in the EU. He explores the intersection of blockchain, AI, and financial innovation, emphasizing the importance of education and collaboration in shaping the future of finance.

Congressman Wiley Nickel, member of the House Financial Services Committee, joins Norma Krayem from Van Scoyoc Associates to discuss the critical topics of blockchain, digital assets, and regulatory certainty in the United States. 

John Belitsky, Co-founder and Chief Innovation & Strategy Officer at Balcony sheds light on how they’re leveraging blockchain technology for greater transparency and efficiency in real estate, offering a glimpse into the innovative solutions reshaping the industry. Discover more about Balcony here Learn more about blockchain here

Akash Gupta (GM at Ava Labs) shares how transformative crypto wallets can be—from identity verification to the integration of social elements. Gain insights into the decentralized future and the large role of crypto wallets in shaping a secure and user-friendly digital landscape.

This is the second episode from our “trade associations” miniseries for 2024. We are joined by Sandra Ro (Global Blockchain Business Council), Ian Taylor (KPMG and Crypto UK), Alison Mangiero (Proof of Stake Alliance), and Jannah Patchay (Digital Pound Foundation) discussing key blockchain developments, policy updates, and interesting use cases.

Join Marina Markezic (EU Crypto Initiative) , Ron Hammond (Blockchain Association), Tommaso Astazi (Blockchain For Europe), and Cody Carbone (Digital Chamber) as they delve into the complexities of blockchain regulation and its impact on global policy. Explore how trade associations are shaping the future of technology governance.

Professor Carla Reyes (SMU) unpacks the interdisciplinary perspectives on smart contracts, highlighting the unique vantage points each group brings to the table. She explores the divergence between legal definitions of ‘contracts’ and their technical counterparts in smart contract technology, uncovering the potential impacts of this disparity on the regulation and understanding of these innovative...

Yesha Yadav (Vanderbilt Law School) delves into the complexities of decentralized finance (DeFi), exploring market structures, regulatory challenges, and the pivotal role of smart contracts in shaping the future of financial landscapes. Find out more in our explainer: What is DeFi? 

Chris Giancarlo (Chamber of Digital Commerce and former CFTC commissioner) discusses the Digital Dollar and sheds light on the role of privacy, economic liberty, and leadership in navigating the ever-changing landscape of digital innovation and its impact on global economies. Learn more about CBDCs, stablecoins, blockchain, and more on: Owl Explains.  

Teana Baker-Taylor (Circle) and Ari Redbord (TRM Labs)  delve into the intricate world of crypto regulation, anti-money laundering, and blockchain's transformative potential. They discuss how decentralized finance challenges traditional frameworks, the evolving landscape of policy-making, and the impact of tokenization on established financial systems. Explore the societal and financial shift...

This episode discusses the costs of liquidity provision at Decentralized Exchanges. Ciamac Moallemi (Columbia University) explains that liquidity providers at a Decentralized Exchange always face a loss relative to an asset portfolio that actively rebalances to match the asset weighting of the Decentralized Exchange at all times. This loss, known as Loss-Versus-Rebalancing (LVR, pronounced 'Lever'...

This episode discusses lending platforms on blockchains. Thomas Rivera (McGill University) and Quentin Vandeweyer (University of Chicago) explain that lending platforms generate sub-optimal welfare due to under-utilization of funds that are lent to the platform. To provide more context, lending platforms are specified in such a way that the level of borrowing (relative to lending) necessarily fluc...

This episode discusses a phenomenon known as Just-In-Time Liquidity at Decentralized Exchanges. Agostino Capponi (Columbia University) explains that, while this phenomenon is generally viewed as positive for liquidity demanders, it can actually undermine liquidity provision. More specifically, JIT liquidity providers can pick-and-choose the best trades, which reduces the incentive for passive liqu...

Brett Falk (University of Pennsylvania) and Gerry Tsoukalas (Boston University) discuss voting protocols in Decentralized Autonomous Organizations. Brett Falk (University of Pennsylvania) and Gerry Tsoukalas (Boston University) highlight weaknesses in existing voting protocols. An important point is that many voting protocols weight votes based on token holdings but a voter’s token holdings does n...

Lewis Cohen (DLx Law) discusses whether cryptoassets are securities from the perspective of US law. Lewis Cohen (DLx Law) explains the relevant US securities laws and then highlights how cryptoassets can differ from traditional securities. A key point is that many cryptoassets do not confer rights in the manner of traditional securities, instead conferring abilities. Cryptoassets thus might requir...

Maria Bustillos, journalist, editor, and founder of Popula and the Brickhouse Cooperative, delves into the complexities of managing misinformation, illegal, and harmful content online. Join us in a timely discussion on the challenges of content moderation and freedom of speech in today's internet landscape. Find out more in our explainers at owlexplains.com 

John Neufeld, General Counsel at Open Zeppelin and Charter Member at TechGC, joins Sylvia Sanchez for an in-depth discussion on the enhanced security features of blockchain technology compared to traditional databases in our latest Owl Explains podcast. We delve into why security is crucial in blockchain development, and how cutting-edge technologies like AI and machine learning are being integrat...

Owl Explains anuncia su iniciativa en Español, siendo un proyecto comprometido con el pensamiento global para el desarrollo responsable de la tecnología blockchain. Sylvia Sánchez project manager de Owl Explains, y Leandro Davo, abogado, consultor para emprendedores y empresas, especialista en propiedad intelectual e investigador de blockchain desde 2018, nos presentan el 'Árbol de la Sabiduría'....

Anne-Sophie Gógl (Digital Euro Association) and Peter Kerstens (European Commission) shed light on the digital euro's potential form and the crucial role of various stakeholders in making it a reality. We discuss the European Commission’s proposal and the ECB’s upcoming decision to potentially move from investigation to realization of this ambitious project. Amidst debates over privacy, security,...

Congressman Mike Flood delves into the latest crypto policy developments in Washington, sharing his perspective on the Fintech Flyover event and the evolving crypto regulatory landscape. He contrasts the House’s innovation-friendly stance with the Senate’s more cautious approach and offers his predictions for the future of U.S. crypto regulation. Key highlights include the importance of industry e...

Dive into the world of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) Jannah Patchay (Digital Pound Foundation and Markets Evolution), Varun Paul (Fireblocks), and moderator Emma Pike (H+K Strategies). This episode focuses on the UK's Digital Pound, exploring its potential to transform financial transactions, savings, and investments. We'll examine what sets the Digital Pound apart from traditional money...

As blockchain reshapes finance and data interaction, understanding its regulatory landscape is crucial. Join us on the Owl Explains podcast for an in-depth discussion on blockchain policy with experts Thomas Tindermans (Hill+Knowlton Strategies), Norma Krayem (Van Scoyoc Associates), and Scott Mason (Holland & Knight LLP), moderated by Emma Pike (Hill+Knowlton Strategies). This episode delves...