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Fran Velasquez

Fran Velasquez

Fran is CoinDesk's TV writer and reporter. He is an alum of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and CUNY's Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, where he earned his master's in business and economic reporting. In the past, he has written for Borderless Magazine, CNBC Make It, and Inc. He owns no crypto holdings.

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J. Christopher Giancarlo (Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Consensus Magazine (layer2)
Payments-week-22
5 Questions for Chris ‘Crypto Dad’ Giancarlo
The ex Commodity Futures Trading Commission chief discusses regulation, digital dollars and financial inclusion. This article is part of CoinDesk's Payments Week.
J. Christopher Giancarlo (Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
By Fran Velasquez
Apr 29, 2022 at 8:29 p.m. UTC
Apr 29, 2022
payments-week-22CryptoCBDCCFTCDigital DollarChristopher GiancarloInterview
A shoe shiner works outside a shop that accepts bitcoin for payment in San Salvador, El Salvador. (Camilo Freedman/APHOTOGRAFIA/Getty Images)
Consensus Magazine (layer2)
Payments-week-22
The Crypto Company Aiding El Salvador’s Bitcoin Adoption
Chicago-based Athena Bitcoin deployed bitcoin ATMs in El Salvador a week after the government legalized bitcoin as legal tender. Despite rollout problems, the company remains...
A shoe shiner works outside a shop that accepts bitcoin for payment in San Salvador, El Salvador. (Camilo Freedman/APHOTOGRAFIA/Getty Images)
By Fran Velasquez
Apr 28, 2022 at 7:35 p.m. UTC
Apr 28, 2022
payments-week-22BitcoinBitcoin ATMsEl SalvadorBitcoin PaymentsNayib Bukele
(Kevin O'Leary, modified by CoinDesk)
CoinDesk
Twitter
Kevin O'Leary on Clean Bitcoin Mining, the Elon Musk-Twitter Conundrum
The future of the crypto mining industry is likely nuclear and hydro, the “Shark Tank” co-host said on CoinDesk TV’s “First Mover.”
(Kevin O'Leary, modified by CoinDesk)
By Fran Velasquez
Apr 22, 2022 at 8:45 p.m. UTC
Apr 22, 2022
TwitterElon MuskBitcoin MiningRegulationCoinDesk TVEnvironment
LUNA-UST Stablecoin Shows Risks of Destabilization, Law Professor Says (Ganapathy Kumar/Unsplash)
CoinDesk
Terra
The Risks Behind LUNA-UST Stablecoin, According to a Bearish Academic
The Terra ecosystem's breakout success may be "unsustainable," University of Calgary law professor Ryan Clements said on CoinDesk TV's “First Mover.”
LUNA-UST Stablecoin Shows Risks of Destabilization, Law Professor Says (Ganapathy Kumar/Unsplash)
By Fran Velasquez
Apr 21, 2022 at 5:55 p.m. UTC
Apr 21, 2022
TerraStablecoinsCoinDesk TV
(Derek Schloss, modified by Kevin Ross/CoinDesk)
Finance
Consensus 2022
Derek Edward Schloss: Unlocking the Art Market
Twitter and video games were just a stepping stone for Derek Schloss into crypto. Five years later, the leading VC makes good on his "big unlock."
(Derek Schloss, modified by Kevin Ross/CoinDesk)
By Fran Velasquez
Apr 20, 2022 at 9:52 p.m. UTC
Apr 20, 2022
Consensus 2022Web 3.0CryptoNFTsVenture CapitalArtNFTs
"We're the team that pushed to go down this path of, you know, progressive decentralization and, and all those trade-offs made us vulnerable for this attack,” Larsen said.
Finance
Sky mavis
Axie Infinity Builder Takes ‘Full Responsibility’ for $625M Ronin Hack, Exec Says
“These are the players who trusted us, and we failed to live up to that trust,” Sky Mavis co-founder Alexsander Larsen said on CoinDesk TV Friday.
"We're the team that pushed to go down this path of, you know, progressive decentralization and, and all those trade-offs made us vulnerable for this attack,” Larsen said.
By Fran Velasquez
Apr 8, 2022 at 4:23 p.m. UTC
Apr 8, 2022
Sky MavisRonin Network HackRonin Hack
Oklahoma State Senator John Michael Montgomery explains why he is pushing the state to attract bitcoin miners with tax incentives. (CoinDesk TV)
Consensus Magazine
Mining
A State Senator Is Pushing to Attract Bitcoin Miners to Oklahoma
John Michael Montgomery explains on CoinDesk TV’s “First Mover” why he thinks the Sooner State should offer tax incentives to crypto miners.
Oklahoma State Senator John Michael Montgomery explains why he is pushing the state to attract bitcoin miners with tax incentives. (CoinDesk TV)
By Fran Velasquez
Apr 5, 2022 at 7:42 p.m. UTC
Apr 5, 2022
MiningBitcoinEnergyESGFirst MoverCoinDesk TVOklahomaUS
Plattsburgh Mayor Christopher Rosenquest (Fran Velasquez/CoinDesk)
Consensus Magazine (layer2)
Crypto-mining
After Short-Lived Ban, City in Upstate NY Is Still Reckoning With Crypto Miners
Cities across the U.S. are grappling with what it means to have cryptocurrency mining operations in their communities. Plattsburgh offers a sobering case study. This piece is...
Plattsburgh Mayor Christopher Rosenquest (Fran Velasquez/CoinDesk)
By Cheyenne LigonFran Velasquez
Mar 21, 2022 at 12:40 p.m. UTC
Mar 21, 2022
Crypto-MiningNew YorkMining FarmsMiningmining-week-2022miningweek
(CoinDesk TV)
Policy
Russia
Ukrainian Deputy Minister Reiterates Call for Crypto Exchanges to Block Russian Users
The official said on CoinDesk TV’s “First Mover” that Russia likely isn’t benefitting from crypto, but could see increased use amid sanctions,
(CoinDesk TV)
By Fran Velasquez
Mar 8, 2022 at 9:47 p.m. UTC
Mar 8, 2022
RussiaUkraineDonationsCoinDesk TV
(Michael Chobanian on CoinDesk TV)
Policy
Ukraine
At Least $14M Out of $26M in Donated Crypto to Ukraine Already Disbursed
The founder of the Kuna crypto exchange behind the government's crypto fundraising said on CoinDesk TV that the money is being spent "efficiently."
(Michael Chobanian on CoinDesk TV)
By Fran Velasquez
Mar 1, 2022 at 9:53 p.m. UTC
Mar 1, 2022
UkraineCryptoBitcoinETHRussiaSanctionsKunaCoinDesk TV