Previewing the Regulatory Panels at Consensus 2022

Welcome to our annual shindig, now back in person after two years of virtual events.

AccessTimeIconJun 6, 2022 at 3:30 p.m. UTC
Updated May 11, 2023 at 5:14 p.m. UTC
AccessTimeIconJun 6, 2022 at 3:30 p.m. UTCUpdated May 11, 2023 at 5:14 p.m. UTC
AccessTimeIconJun 6, 2022 at 3:30 p.m. UTCUpdated May 11, 2023 at 5:14 p.m. UTC

We’ll be in Austin, Texas this week for CoinDesk’s Consensus 2022. Regulators and lawmakers will be out in force to discuss how they’re approaching the rapidly growing cryptocurrency sector.

You’re reading State of Crypto, a CoinDesk newsletter looking at the intersection of cryptocurrency and government. Click here to sign up for future editions.

Austin party

The narrative

Hey folks. CoinDesk’s Consensus 2022, our first IRL event since 2019, kicks off this week. I previewed our regulatory track earlier this week, which you can read below. We also have panels discussing central bank digital currencies and discussions addressing a whole range of issues in various parts of the crypto world.

Why it matters

It’s finally here! Say hi if you’re in town, and if you see me in the hallways of the Austin Convention Center, ask me for a CoinDesk sticker.

Breaking it down

It is going to be a WEEK y'all. Regular readers of this newsletter might enjoy a few of the panels we have.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission – a regulatory agency we’ve talked about quite a bit in recent months – will start things off on Thursday, June 9, at 10:05 a.m. CT, with Chair Rostin Behnam and former Commissioner Dawn Stump discussing the regulator’s role in the sector.

Advocates for different approaches to central bank digital currencies and similar types of payment tools will likewise take the stage at the Fairmont Hotel to try and find an answer to the question, “Who should be allowed to issue digital dollars?” Hear from Dante Disparte, the chief strategy officer at stablecoin issuer Circle; Rohan Grey, an academic who advised on the ECASH Act; and Caitlin Long, the founder and CEO of Wyoming’s Custodia Bank.

On Friday, June 10, we’ll host a Q&A session with Deputy Treasury Secretary Adewale Adeyemo at 10:45 a.m. CT on the Main Stage of the Austin Convention Center. The Treasury Department has been active in crypto over the past 18 months, looking at issues ranging from ransomware payments to stablecoin regulation.

Reminder: I’m looking for questions for Mr. Adeyemo! If you have one, send it to me via email.

The “Regulation” exploration, taking place in the ACC Ballroom A on Friday, June 10 at 1 p.m. CT, will feature three panels with representatives from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, industry associations and law firms steeped in cryptocurrency issues. Panelists will discuss finding a regulatory “sweet spot” to support novel projects while still mitigating the chances of another project collapsing in a dramatic fashion and harming investors.

We’re looking for questions for this panel, too! Same deal as above – shoot me an email folks.

On the same day, at 2:30 p.m. CT, we’ll host several lawmakers on our Main Stage to discuss crypto legislation, the likelihood of any specific legislation passing and what issues Congress sees as the most vital in the cryptocurrency sector.

We’ll continue the discussion on crypto policy and borders Saturday at 4:05 p.m. CT in the Convention Center, with White House Director for Cybersecurity Carole House, Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Davis, Monetary Authority of Singapore Chief FinTech Officer Sopnendu Mohanty and European Parliament Vice President Eva Kaili.

You can get the tl;dr on other sessions through our Road to Consensus series, such as our guide on the CBDC panels.

By the way, lest you think this is all that’s going on this week: On Tuesday, June 7 at 10 a.m. ET, the Senate Homeland Security Committee will hold a hearing on ransomware and cryptocurrency, while the House Homeland Security Committee subcommittee on Intelligence and Counterterrorism will hold a hearing on terrorism and crypto Thursday, June 9, at 9 a.m. ET.

Biden’s rule

Changing of the guard

Key: (nom.) = nominee, (rum.) = rumored, (act.) = acting, (inc.) = incumbent (no replacement anticipated)
Key: (nom.) = nominee, (rum.) = rumored, (act.) = acting, (inc.) = incumbent (no replacement anticipated)

Oh jeez, this is a busy week huh.

Elsewhere:

Outside CoinDesk:

  • (Hard Drive) Shoutout to whoever was running Hard Drive’s Twitter feed just at that moment.
  • (Bloomberg) The White House will publish a policy recommendation addressing the energy concerns around crypto mining in the coming weeks, Bloomberg reported.
  • (BuzzFeed News) Some folks tried to make a Goblintown NFT collection knockoff which was in turn hijacked, apparently.

If you’ve got thoughts or questions on what I should discuss next week or any other feedback you’d like to share, feel free to email me at nik@coindesk.com or find me on Twitter @nikhileshde.

You can also join the group conversation on Telegram.

See y’all next week!


Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.


Disclosure

Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.

Nikhilesh De

Nikhilesh De is CoinDesk's managing editor for global policy and regulation. He owns marginal amounts of bitcoin and ether.