HLS BFI 2021 Annual Conference
HLSBFI is excited to host the Third Annual Blockchain, FinTech & Law Conference. In 2019, our first conference brought over a hundred participants from across the country. This year, our public conference will host leading academics, industry professionals, regulators, and lawyers from around the world. Our conference is one of a few uniquely suited to discuss blockchain and fintech legal and regulatory issues.
KEYNOTE: The Pioneers of Crypto Bank Charters
Harvard Law School Blockchain & Fintech Initiative (HLSBFI)51:51
In September of 2020, the first ever crypto bank charter was approved in the state of Wyoming, and awarded to cryptocurrency exchange Kraken. As a bank, Kraken can now offer digital assets services to retail and institutional customers. This monumental step towards a more seamless integration of fiat and cryptocurrencies presents opportunities for wider acceptance and use of cryptocurrencies in daily life. Even more recently, in January of 2021, the OCC approved the first ever federal bank charter, and awarded it to Anchorage. Discussion topics include: what are the differences between these two charters? What are the benefits to each, and how do they change the landscape for emerging crypto-based projects? How big of a step forward is this in legitimating cryptocurrency in the current regulatory framework? Panelists: Georgia Quinn – Anchorage Marco Santori – Kraken
Moderator: Mandy Mengyu Li, HLS ’22
Promising Blockchain Ventures and Institutional Investment
Harvard Law School Blockchain & Fintech Initiative (HLSBFI)50:45
Since its inception in 2009, an immense amount of blockchain applications have emerged for a variety of different use cases. Some of them have been successful, others are still working out the bugs. This panel features blockchain venture capital experts who can discuss which areas of blockchain development seem promising at the moment, and which areas seem to be dead ends. Discussion topics include: which new blockchain developments look to be the most interesting and why? Which blockchain ventures haven’t gone as expected, and what obstacles are keeping them from success? Opinions on DeFi, Voting, NFTs, and basically anything else.
Panelists: Dan Robinson – Paradigm Jeffrey Amico – a16z Alok Vasudev – Standard Crypto VC
Moderator: Reshma Lutfeali, HLS & HBS ’21