Crypto In America

Jonathan Jachym, Global Head of Policy and Market Structure at Kraken, joins Crypto in America at the Wyoming Blockchain Symposium to break down what’s at stake as Congress weighs the Clarity Act and why legislation could provide something agency rulemaking alone cannot: long-term regulatory certainty for the U.S. crypto industry.Jachym discusses the ongoing Clarity Act negotiations, what the SEC and CFTC could do if Congress fails to act, and the risks of relying on rules that a future administration could potentially unwind. The conversation also explores federal customer protections, Kraken’s evolving access to the U.S. payment system, tokenized equities and real-world assets, and why the lines between crypto-native companies and traditional financial institutions are becoming increasingly blurred.Timestamps:00:44 What Crypto in America Means to Kraken02:17 Can the Clarity Act Still Pass?03:18 Banks, Stablecoins and Remaining Negotiations05:34 The Biggest Disagreements Around Clarity08:12 How Crypto Exchanges Are Working Together09:02 Kraken's Access to the U.S. Payment System10:47 Is Direct Fed Access Enough?12:41 SEC and CFTC Crypto Rulemaking15:14 Tokenized Equities and Traditional Finance17:16 What If the Clarity Act Doesn't Pass?20:02 Can Future Administrations Reverse the Rules?22:42 Why the U.S. Is Falling Behind25:41 What Failure Could Mean for DeFi and Developers27:32 Jonathan's Outlook for the Clarity Act🔹 Follow Us https://x.com/CryptoAmerica_https://open.spotify.com/show/2Y3bQRj... https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 🔹Follow HostsJacquelyn: https://x.com/jacqmelinekGerald: https://x.com/thatgeraldEleanor: https://x.com/EleanorTerrett🔹Follow Jonathan Jachymhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-jachym-98890bb9https://x.com/JonathanJachymPlease note that this podcast is for informational purposes only and any views shared by anyone on the show are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have a direct or indirect financial interest in content mentioned in this episode.This show is sponsored by Sei. Learn more about Sei: https://www.sei.io/This show is sponsored by Sumsub. Get your copy of its State of the Crypto Industry report: https://sumsub.link/cdt

Rob Hadick, General Partner at Dragonfly, joins Crypto In America to break down what it takes to fund the next generation of innovation. Leaving a $50 billion hedge fund right as the 2022 crypto winter began, Rob shares how Dragonfly maintained its conviction through the bear market to close its fourth fund at $650 million earlier this year.Rob takes us behind the scenes of Dragonfly's massive bets on teams like Polymarket, explaining how he sees prediction markets gearing up to disrupt institutional hedging. He also dives into the realities of VC returns, why AI is currently sucking the air out of the room, the comeback of US-based founders under new regulatory frameworks, and why perpetual futures (Perps) are the defining financial product of this cycle.Timestamps00:10 What does crypto in America mean to you?01:15 Joining Dragonfly after the FTX collapse05:12 Current market climate vs. the "crypto winter"08:15 VC pressure: Capital, talent, and the AI boom11:02 Crypto-native vs. expansion into AI13:05 Consolidation in Venture Capital and solo GPs18:41 Founder trends: Returning to the U.S.21:05 The status of the Clarity Act23:34 Expectations for the SEC and CFTC26:55 Tokens vs. Equity and performance metrics29:48 Disclosure requirements for tokens35:25 What Dragonfly looks for in founders: Vibes vs. Data39:26 Overvalued vs. undervalued sectors42:42 Deep dive into Polymarket: Why invest?44:03 Perpetual Futures (Perps): Why they are a key innovation45:47 The AI debate: Open vs. Closed weights50:30 ClosingFollow #CryptoInAmericahttps://x.com/CryptoAmerica_?lang=enhttps://open.spotify.com/show/2Y3bQRj…https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast…Please note that this podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views shared by anyone on the show are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have a direct or indirect financial interest in the content mentioned in this episode.This show is sponsored by Sumsub. Get your copy of its State of the Crypto Industry report: https://sumsub.link/cdt Follow Us https://x.com/jacqmelinekhttps://x.com/thatgeraldhttps://x.com/EleanorTerrett

Tokenization has been pitched as the future of finance for years. WisdomTree is trying to prove it can work at scale.Will Peck, Head of Digital Assets at WisdomTree, joins Crypto In America to explain why the next phase of crypto adoption may be driven less by speculation and more by tokenized funds, stablecoins and financial products that can move 24/7.With WisdomTree’s digital asset business approaching $1 billion in assets under management, Peck breaks down what is driving institutional demand, why tokenized money market funds may become a critical bridge between crypto and traditional finance, and what it will take for on-chain investing to deliver real value to everyday users.Timestamp: 00:10 — Who is Will Peck and what does WisdomTree's digital asset business look like today?00:20 — What does "crypto in America" mean to Will Peck?01:07 — How did Will Peck get into crypto through WisdomTree?02:24 — Is WisdomTree an asset manager or a fintech company now?03:28 — What's driving WisdomTree's tokenized RWA business past $1 billion?05:39 — Why are perpetual futures ("perps") becoming a mainstream institutional tool?08:05 — Who's actually buying tokenized products right now?10:09 — Is there real retail demand for tokenization yet?12:06 — Does tokenization help the US keep its capital markets edge?15:15 — Why did WisdomTree launch a Bitcoin ETF but skip others?19:24 — Tokenized mutual funds vs. tokenized ETFs, explained21:40 — How does WisdomTree think about competitors like Ondo and Superstate?24:14 — Inside WisdomTree's 24/7 settlement approval for tokenized money funds26:43 — What happens to WisdomTree's plans if the Clarity Act doesn't pass?30:45 — Why did WisdomTree join a coalition with JPMorgan and Janus Henderson?32:31 — Could incumbents win if Clarity stalls and crypto-native firms don't?36:36 — Are stablecoins the biggest distribution channel for tokenized funds?38:05 — What does instant settlement actually unlock for collateral and payments?42:02 — What is Will Peck watching next in crypto regulation?43:18 — Will Peck's take on crypto vaults and the SEC's latest statementSubscribe to the podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Y3bQRj…Subscribe to the podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast…Please note that this podcast is for informational purposes only and any views shared by anyone on the show are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have a direct or indirect financial interest in content mentioned in this episode.This show is sponsored by Sumsub. Get your copy of its State of the Crypto Industry report: https://sumsub.link/cdt Follow Crypto in America: https://x.com/CryptoAmerica_ Follow our hostsJacquelyn: https://x.com/jacqmelinek Gerald: https://x.com/thatgerald Eleanor: https://x.com/EleanorTerrett

Sunayna Tuteja, the Fed’s first Chief Innovation Officer, spent five years trying to transform one of the world’s most powerful financial institutions from the inside.She recruited engineers from crypto and fintech, championed AI adoption among everyone from analysts to governors, and worked alongside Governor Christopher Waller on initiatives ranging from ending the central bank’s CBDC work to developing the framework for “skinny master accounts.”Recorded live at the Injective Summit, Sunayna tells Eleanor what happened when a longtime Fed critic joined the very institution she had spent years criticizing, and why the headwinds during Operation Choke Point 2.0 drove her to try to quit more than once.She also explains why she believes AI and regulated stablecoins are reaching an inflection point at exactly the same time, setting the stage for a major transformation of both the financial system and the Fed itself.TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Sunayna’s Path to the Federal Reserve07:58 Navigating Operation Choke Point 2.010:50 Why the Fed Embraced AI Faster Than Crypto13:08 Behind the Fed’s “Skinny Master Accounts”16:35 Will the Fed Pivot to Stablecoins?21:57 How AI Could Transform the Fed and FinanceSubscribe to the podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Y3bQRjEQtdlNx1fxmS8hB Subscribe to the podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crypto-in-america/id1799000155 Please note that this podcast is for informational purposes only and any views shared by anyone on the show are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have a direct or indirect financial interest in content mentioned in this episode.This show is sponsored by Sei. Learn more about Sei: https://www.sei.io/This show is sponsored by Sumsub. Get your copy of its State of the Crypto Industry report: https://sumsub.link/cdt Follow Crypto in America: https://x.com/CryptoAmerica_Follow our hostsJacquelyn: https://x.com/jacqmelinekGerald: https://x.com/thatgeraldEleanor: https://x.com/EleanorTerrett

Today’s guest is Summer Mersinger, the CEO of the Blockchain Association, a policy advocacy organization in Washington. In this episode, recorded live at the Injective Summit just days before the expected Senate floor vote on the Clarity Act, our co-host Jacquelyn sits down with Summer to take stock of where the bill actually stands. Summer breaks down why ethics has become the one issue that remained a pain point and why she's still very confident of the Clarity Act passing. Summer explains her frustration with banks walking away from a deal crypto had already conceded a lot to reach, and why she thinks BRCA's developer protections aren't a loophole but closer to the way the rest of the legal system already works. She also gets into what a failed vote would actually mean, why the regulators would have to step up and fill the gap, and what's next on her plate in year two.TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 A Year at the Blockchain Association05:02 Why the Clarity Act Matters06:07 The Path to a Senate Vote12:43 Banks, Stablecoins, and Market Structure16:48 A Federal Framework for Digital Assets20:16 Developer Protections and Law Enforcement33:48 What Comes Next for Crypto PolicySubscribe to the podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Y3bQRjEQtdlNx1fxmS8hB Subscribe to the podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crypto-in-america/id1799000155 Please note that this podcast is for informational purposes only and any views shared by anyone on the show are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have a direct or indirect financial interest in content mentioned in this episode.This show is sponsored by Sei. Learn more about Sei: https://www.sei.io/This show is sponsored by Sumsub. Get your copy of its State of the Crypto Industry report: https://sumsub.link/cdt Follow Crypto in America: https://x.com/CryptoAmerica_Follow our hostsJacquelyn: https://x.com/jacqmelinekGerald: https://x.com/thatgeraldEleanor: https://x.com/EleanorTerrett