Piano Lessons

The digital assets revival of Zoltar, crypto CEOs on the run, and one-coin-to-rule-them-all? In this episode, Phil and Marc delve into the current commentary in the crypto community.

Key takeaways:

• Ripple Labs and the SEC may finally be looking for a quick end to their long-running dispute.
• Many popular tokens have a vast, enthusiastic following that can make it challenging to understand the crypto environment. Do your own research when looking to invest.
• Will the Ethereum Merge lead to more interest in ETH over other altcoins and NFTs?

Host Philip Graham and “crypto wizard” Marc Piano return to discuss the latest endeavours in the world of digital assets. This week, (after musing on Bill Murray’s NFT mishap and the possible emergence of Trump-coin) Phil and Marc discuss a Coinbase-funded lawsuit against OFAC, the long-awaited Ethereum merger, and what happens if/when a DAO gets sued.

Key takeaways:

• A lawsuit has been brought against OFAC alleging they have overstepped their authorities by sanctioning tech. By not taking a tech neutral approach, they have arguably overstepped their authority, as tech such as Tornado Cash has been used for legitimate purposes.   
• Ethereum announces moving to proof of stake model from proof of work – from mining to operation of validators by those who stake their tokens. This arguably affects the fundamental economics by changing Ethereum to a deflationary token.
• DAOs don’t exist as a legal entity in its own right. Be sharp about who you want to sue and why if things go wrong, and what your lawyers can and can’t do when setting things up – DAOs are a very niche area.

In this brand new series, BVI Partner Phil Graham and Cayman Islands Senior Associate Marc Piano are here to demystify the digital asset space, and share their experiences and perspectives on everything Crypto, blockchain, web3, NFTs, and tech. In this episode, Phil and Marc talk Crypto winters and Avalanche warnings, DAOs (or should we say ADOs?) and more.

In part two of this special edition episode, Global Head of ourInvestment Funds and regulatory group Phil Graham is joined again by Adriana Krawcewicz and Maria Popova to discuss the emerging world of NFTs. Adriana and Maria discuss what attracted them to the world of digital assets, the uniqueness of the NFT community, and their predictions for what is next to come in this space.

Adriana is a freelance senior art director, fashion digital NFT artist and consultant, based in London. Maria is a producer, digital entrepreneur, and co-founder of Shiny, a boutique NFT ecosystem with a focus on empowering women in the digital space. You can learn more about Adrianna's work at adrianaillustration.com and Maria's at Shiny NFT.

In this special edition episode, Global Head of our Investment Funds and Regulatory group Phil Graham is joined by Adriana Krawcewicz and Maria Popova to discuss the emerging world of NFTs. Adriana is a freelance senior art director, fashion digital NFT artist and consultant, based in London. Maria is a producer, digital entrepreneur, and co-founder of Shiny, a boutique NFT ecosystem with a focus on empowering women in the digital space. Tech and art industries have historically been dominated by men, and the NFT space is following a similar trajectory - women still make up only about 15% of crypto users, while female artists account for only 16% of NFT sales.

In part one of this two-part series, Phil, Adriana, and Maria define NFTs, what this emerging technology means for artists, and the value of the #NFTcommunity in supporting women in the digital asset space.