Crypto entities ranging from large exchanges to small projects are moving towards state regulation. Whether through the Securities and Exchange Commission or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, many actors in the space are looking for concrete future guidelines for building compliant companies in an emerging sector while navigating rules developed for traditional financing. .
And while crypto founders and investors know that regulation is inevitable, they are also looking for the best deal possible while trying to influence policymakers. It’s a challenging balance – enough regulation to protect retail investors from a hostile environment, but not so much that it stifles crypto sector growth and future innovation in the space.
This regulatory tug-of-war is just one reason we’re thrilled to have Katherine Dowling, general counsel and chief compliance officer at Bitwise Asset Management; Sarah Shtylman, partner at Perkins Coie; and Justin Slaughter, Policy Director at Paradigm, will join us for a session called “Is Crypto Regulation Ready” on TC Sessions: Crypto in Miami on Nov. 17.
We will discuss whether or not there is an increase in institutional adoption and how the regulatory framework may influence adoption in the future. Given the frustration at the lack of clarity in regulatory guidance we will ask Dowling, Shtylman and Slaughter how crypto legal firms and attorneys advise clients to navigate the current landscape while still operating in a compliant manner.
Dowling brings a unique perspective to the table, with experience in both private equity firms and as a federal prosecutor in the Economic Crimes Unit of the US Attorney’s Office. Shtylman brings in-depth knowledge of fintech and blockchain and Slaughter brings legal and advisory experience in both the public and private sectors. We dive into the latest insights on how emerging regulatory frameworks will affect the digital asset industry and get their thoughts on whether we can expect clarity on this in the US by the end of the year.
Prior to joining Bitwise, Dowling held positions as general counsel, CCO and COO at various financial and private equity firms. She also co-founded Luminate Capital Partners, where she held positions as primary care physician, general manager and COO.
A Harvard law graduate, Dowling spent more than a decade as a federal prosecutor, most recently in the economic crimes unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, where she worked with the FBI, SEC, IRS, and others. authorities to, among other things, insider trading, fraud and money laundering. She also serves on the boards of two non-profit organizations.
As a partner at Perkins Coie, Sarah Shtylman focuses on the fintech and blockchain industries. The clients she advises range from entrepreneurs and startups to large tech and regulated financial institutions. Shtylman advises on a variety of regulatory, commercial, compliance and product development projects, including NFTs, regulated digital asset platforms, in-game currencies and payment service integrations.
Shtylman has advised clients through the application and compliance processes for state and federal trust charters, money transmission licenses, and registration and lending licenses. She has been in direct contact with state and federal regulators to discuss the applicability of various financial services regulatory regimes to emerging blockchain technology platforms and protocols that her clients are developing.
Prior to Perkins Coie, Shtylman was an internal legal counsel at Coinbase and has experience in the development and launch of cryptocurrency networks, asset-backed digital tokens (including stablecoins), peer-to-peer lending, corporate governance, Bank Secrecy Act ( BSA) compliance, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration and financial services disputes.
Prior to joining Paradigm, Justin Slaughter was director of the Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs and senior advisor to Allison Herren Lee, chairman of the acting Securities and Exchange Commission. He was also chief policy advisor and special counsel to former Commissioner Sharon Bowen at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and general counsel to Senator Edward J. Markey.
Slaughter has also served as a consultant in a private practice focused on fintech and smaller technology companies, and began his career as an attorney with Judge Jerome Farris on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Justin has a BA from Columbia University and a JD from Yale Law School.
Take advantage of our early bird prices and save $150 on General Admission passes. Buy your pass today, then join the blockchain, crypto, DeFi, NFT, and web3 communities at TC Sessions: Crypto on Nov. 17 in Miami.
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