Public Key

The global stablecoin legislation discussion is increasing every day, but if you have a framework in Singapore, that's independent from the EU and the U.S., it defeats the whole purpose of having a stablecoin that's supposed to be frictionless and make global payments easier.

In this engaging episode,  Jason Somensatto, Head of North American Public Policy at Chainalysis, talks all things policy with Lesley Chavkin, Head of Global Public Policy at Paxos. They explore this evolving landscape of crypto policy and the intricacies of crypto regulation, the potential for stablecoins and the impact of policy-making on the future of digital assets. 

Lesley explains Paxos' global operations, including their strategic expansion in the EU and the implications of the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework, while sharing a behind the scenes look at their stablecoin partnership with PayPal’s PYUS, and the essential need for a robust federal regulatory regime in the U.S. to reinforce the US dollar dominance globally. 

2 | Lesley’s career from the public sector with the CIA and Department of Justice

4 | Navigating crypto policy through global government and financial sectors

6 | Paxos: The “OGs” of blockchain infrastructure for enterprises

8 | Understanding the digital asset stakeholders that have an impact on policy

11 | The difference between a trust structure and a traditional bank

13 | Navigating the challenges of EU’s MiCA stablecoin regulations

16 | The role of stablecoins in payments and US dollar dominance

22 | Terra Luna: Understanding why all stablecoins aren’t created equally

26 | Explaining away concerns to regulators about financial crime in digital assets

33 | The need for a stablecoin federal regulatory program in the USA

39 | The future of stablecoin regulation and global financial innovation

41 | How governments could benefit by using stablecoins 

Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key.

This website may contain links to third-party sites that are not under the control of Chainalysis, Inc. or its affiliates (collectively “Chainalysis”). Access to such information does not imply association with, endorsement of, approval of, or recommendation by Chainalysis of the site or its operators, and Chainalysis is not responsible for the products, services, or other content hosted therein.

Our podcasts are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to provide legal, tax, financial, or investment advice. Listeners should consult their own advisors before making these types of decisions. Chainalysis has no responsibility or liability for any decision made or any other acts or omissions in connection with your use of this material.

Chainalysis does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of the information in any particular podcast and will not be responsible for any claim attributable to errors, omissions, or other inaccuracies of any part of such material. 

Unless stated otherwise, reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Chainalysis. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by Chainalysis employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company. 

The criminal landscape is evolving and nobody knows this better than the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) unit, who has been an international leader when it comes to combating crypto and cyber-related crimes.

2 | Jarod’s early days as a Federal agent working high stakes investigations

4 | The evolution of crime and cryptocurrency's impact on investigations 

7 | Challenges in combating cybercrime and crypto-related offenses

11 | Global collaboration in combating crypto-related crimes

17 | International alignment in fighting tax crimes in crypto

22 | Unveiling the new IRS-CI's Advanced Collaboration and Data Center (“ACDC”)

28 | Understanding tax obligations for cryptocurrency gains in the US

32 | Government agencies face challenges amid budget cuts and hiring freezes

34 | Exploring AI and digital assets in financial fraud prevention 

38 | Law enforcement's strategic approach to the Metaverse

40 | Emerging blockchain crimes and AI threats in Law Enforcement 

Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key.

This website may contain links to third-party sites that are not under the control of Chainalysis, Inc. or its affiliates (collectively “Chainalysis”). Access to such information does not imply association with, endorsement of, approval of, or recommendation by Chainalysis of the site or its operators, and Chainalysis is not responsible for the products, services, or other content hosted therein.

Our podcasts are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to provide legal, tax, financial, or investment advice. Listeners should consult their own advisors before making these types of decisions. Chainalysis has no responsibility or liability for any decision made or any other acts or omissions in connection with your use of this material.

Chainalysis does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of the information in any particular podcast and will not be responsible for any claim attributable to errors, omissions, or other inaccuracies of any part of such material. 

Unless stated otherwise, reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Chainalysis. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by Chainalysis employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company. 

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, tensions in the Middle East, Trump’s incoming administration, and BRICS’ exploration of de-dollarization, have compounded into what might be a pivotal year for alternative payments systems and geopolitics.

2 | Tom’s early journey into crypto in 2012 as an academic 

4 | The origins of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and the creation of the Centre for Finance and Security (CFS)

6 | The strategic role of alternative payment systems in global security

10 | Sanctions and the impact it has on Russia and international alternative payment systems 

14 | BRICs and the realities of de-dollarization in global markets

18 | Global financial alliances and increase of western strategic challenges

23 | The future of digital currencies and global economic shifts

27 |  Global financial threats and strategic economic security challenges

31 | RUSI’s focus for 2025 on sanctions, terrorist financing and Europe’s economic challenges

Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key.

This website may contain links to third-party sites that are not under the control of Chainalysis, Inc. or its affiliates (collectively “Chainalysis”). Access to such information does not imply association with, endorsement of, approval of, or recommendation by Chainalysis of the site or its operators, and Chainalysis is not responsible for the products, services, or other content hosted therein.

Our podcasts are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to provide legal, tax, financial, or investment advice. Listeners should consult their own advisors before making these types of decisions. Chainalysis has no responsibility or liability for any decision made or any other acts or omissions in connection with your use of this material.

Chainalysis does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of the information in any particular podcast and will not be responsible for any claim attributable to errors, omissions, or other inaccuracies of any part of such material. 

Unless stated otherwise, reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Chainalysis. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by Chainalysis employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company. 

Whether it is seizing restaurants, hotels, cars or Bitcoin, our guest, Joanna Summers, Chief Recovery Officer of Asset Reality, has done it all with over a decade of experience working in both the public and private sector on complex asset forfeitures.

2 | The role of asset forfeiture and the process of seizing and selling complex assets

6 | Joanna's first encounter with cryptocurrency during 2013 Silk Road investigation

9 | Joining Asset Reality and helping countries improve their asset forfeiture programs

13 | The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) focus on global asset recovery

17 | The digital asset recovery procedures and importance of moving crypto quickly into law enforcement controlled wallets

20 | Updated: FATF’s asset recovery priorities for 2025

22 | The emergence of pig butchering scams and how to protect consumers

26 | Joanna’s role as an ambassador for the Association for Women in Crypto

29 | Updated: New Crypto Crimes including: address poisoning, typo squatting and clipboard hijacking

32 | Updated: Taxbit Partnership and crypto recovery outlook for 2025

Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key.

This website may contain links to third-party sites that are not under the control of Chainalysis, Inc. or its affiliates (collectively “Chainalysis”). Access to such information does not imply association with, endorsement of, approval of, or recommendation by Chainalysis of the site or its operators, and Chainalysis is not responsible for the products, services, or other content hosted therein.

Our podcasts are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to provide legal, tax, financial, or investment advice. Listeners should consult their own advisors before making these types of decisions. Chainalysis has no responsibility or liability for any decision made or any other acts or omissions in connection with your use of this material.

Chainalysis does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of the information in any particular podcast and will not be responsible for any claim attributable to errors, omissions, or other inaccuracies of any part of such material. 

Unless stated otherwise, reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Chainalysis. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by Chainalysis employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company. 

When Tommy Nicholas (CEO of Alloy) wrote a blog titled, Your Fraud Model Is Broken, you had to know he and Ian Andrews (CMO, Chainalysis) were going to have a fun and insightful conversation.

Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key.

This website may contain links to third-party sites that are not under the control of Chainalysis, Inc. or its affiliates (collectively “Chainalysis”). Access to such information does not imply association with, endorsement of, approval of, or recommendation by Chainalysis of the site or its operators, and Chainalysis is not responsible for the products, services, or other content hosted therein.

Our podcasts are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to provide legal, tax, financial, or investment advice. Listeners should consult their own advisors before making these types of decisions. Chainalysis has no responsibility or liability for any decision made or any other acts or omissions in connection with your use of this material.

Chainalysis does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of the information in any particular podcast and will not be responsible for any claim attributable to errors, omissions, or other inaccuracies of any part of such material. 

Unless stated otherwise, reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Chainalysis. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by Chainalysis employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company. 

What is the point of having an alternative to the traditional payment network like cryptocurrency, if you can’t use it to buy a coffee or a pair of shoes?

He shares the vision of bringing these seamless payment options to Europe and expanding into new markets like South America, Africa and abroad, via partnerships and collaborations with Tether and prominent blockchain networks like TON. 

2 |  Simplifying crypto payments with Oobit’s Tap-To-Pay solution

5 | Stripe acquires platform, Bridge: From traditional finance to stablecoin dominance

8 | Opportunities and challenges in crypto on-ramp and off-ramp processes

12 | Understanding the TON blockchain and other up and coming web3 projects

15 | Navigating regulatory challenges in global market expansion

18 | Political shifts and crypto market implications

20 | The future of tokenization and real world assets in crypto

Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key.

This website may contain links to third-party sites that are not under the control of Chainalysis, Inc. or its affiliates (collectively “Chainalysis”). Access to such information does not imply association with, endorsement of, approval of, or recommendation by Chainalysis of the site or its operators, and Chainalysis is not responsible for the products, services, or other content hosted therein.

Our podcasts are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to provide legal, tax, financial, or investment advice. Listeners should consult their own advisors before making these types of decisions. Chainalysis has no responsibility or liability for any decision made or any other acts or omissions in connection with your use of this material.

Chainalysis does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of the information in any particular podcast and will not be responsible for any claim attributable to errors, omissions, or other inaccuracies of any part of such material. 

Unless stated otherwise, reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Chainalysis. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by Chainalysis employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company. 

In this episode, Ian Andrews (CMO, Chainalysis) speaks to Riad Wahby, the Co-founder & CEO of Cubist, a company that stands at the forefront of private key management, promising robust security solutions that both protect cryptocurrency assets and enhance usability for developers and enterprises.

2 | Cubist's role in secure key management for blockchain organizations

4 | From chip design to blockchain security and entrepreneurship

8 |  Balancing security and convenience in cryptocurrency key management

15 | Complete Mediation: Embedding policies in secure hardware for key management 

20 | Amazon’s AWS dominates secure hardware for cloud services

24 | Exploring threshold signature schemes and multi-signature approaches

27 | Understanding what went wrong with Axie Infinity’s Ronin Bridge and how the industry can learn from this hack

32 | Exploring secure web3 policies without Solidity and enhancing smart contracts with secure hardware for secret computation

39 | Making web3 usable for everyone with improved wallet usability 

Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key.

This website may contain links to third-party sites that are not under the control of Chainalysis, Inc. or its affiliates (collectively “Chainalysis”). Access to such information does not imply association with, endorsement of, approval of, or recommendation by Chainalysis of the site or its operators, and Chainalysis is not responsible for the products, services, or other content hosted therein.

Our podcasts are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to provide legal, tax, financial, or investment advice. Listeners should consult their own advisors before making these types of decisions. Chainalysis has no responsibility or liability for any decision made or any other acts or omissions in connection with your use of this material.

Chainalysis does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of the information in any particular podcast and will not be responsible for any claim attributable to errors, omissions, or other inaccuracies of any part of such material. 

Unless stated otherwise, reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Chainalysis. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by Chainalysis employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company.

The world of international payments has been innovating over the last few years and many think it’s because of the increased usage of cryptocurrency and stablecoins.

In this episode, Ian Andrews (CMO, Chainalysis) speaks to Arnold Lee (Co-founder & CEO, Sphere Labs), who brings an intriguing backstory, having ventured from IoT to the world of fintech, and illustrates the complex issues surrounding cross-border payments. 

He talks about Sphere's journey from its inception following the FTX debacle to its significant impact in regions like the Caribbean, LATAM, and Asia Pacific, using innovative solutions that tackle the major pain points faced by fintechs and crypto payment service providers in the complex banking landscapes.

Arnold also introduces Spherenet, a closed-loop ledger facilitating fintech connections and explains a new concept of auction mechanism and how it completely changes how cross-border payments will be done in the future. 

2 | Arnold’s unexpected journey from IoT and tinkering on-chain to crypto payments

5 | Solving cross-border payments with blockchain and stablecoins at Sphere

9 | The biggest challenges with cross border payments involving crypto

15 | How to compete in a saturated crypto and innovative payment ecosystem

19 | Introduction of Spherenet and providing crypto payment systems to LATAM, USA and Asia Pacific

22 | Optimizing trust and data sharing in private blockchain networks

26 | Spherenet's auction mechanism and how it complete changes how cross-border payments are made

31 | The path towards onboarding decentralization in 2025 and beyond

Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key.

This website may contain links to third-party sites that are not under the control of Chainalysis, Inc. or its affiliates (collectively “Chainalysis”). Access to such information does not imply association with, endorsement of, approval of, or recommendation by Chainalysis of the site or its operators, and Chainalysis is not responsible for the products, services, or other content hosted therein.

Our podcasts are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to provide legal, tax, financial, or investment advice. Listeners should consult their own advisors before making these types of decisions. Chainalysis has no responsibility or liability for any decision made or any other acts or omissions in connection with your use of this material.

Chainalysis does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of the information in any particular podcast and will not be responsible for any claim attributable to errors, omissions, or other inaccuracies of any part of such material. 

Unless stated otherwise, reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Chainalysis. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by Chainalysis employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company. 

“Lack of faith in local economic policies, it's political instability, it's depreciating currency, it's runaway inflation. So it's all these economic factors that play into a person not willing to hold their local currency and would much rather hold this digital dollar.” - Chris Harmse 

Two-thirds (⅔) of every crypto transaction is conducted using stablecoins and there is no doubt the future of digital dollars is happening today.

2 | How Chris got into crypto working at an FX desk in an investment firm 

4 | BVNK's Journey from South African crypto pioneers to global innovators

7 | Bridging traditional and blockchain payments with stablecoin solutions integrating with SWIFT

9 | Introduction of PayPal’s stablecoin, PYUSD into the BVNK stablecoin infrastructure

11 | Stablecoin listing process and Solana leading Layer 1 payments race

13 | MiCA regulations and stablecoin opportunities in Europe

16 | Key findings from the BVNK’s Stablecoin Report on the Decade of Digital Dollars

18 | The cost of holding a local fiat currency that is losing value over time 

22 | Case Study: Visa's blockchain integration for faster stablecoin settlements

25 | The rise of non-USD stablecoins in global trade and CBDC popularity

28 | The future of payments: Blockchain, stablecoins, and global expansion

Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key.

This website may contain links to third-party sites that are not under the control of Chainalysis, Inc. or its affiliates (collectively “Chainalysis”). Access to such information does not imply association with, endorsement of, approval of, or recommendation by Chainalysis of the site or its operators, and Chainalysis is not responsible for the products, services, or other content hosted therein.

Our podcasts are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to provide legal, tax, financial, or investment advice. Listeners should consult their own advisors before making these types of decisions. Chainalysis has no responsibility or liability for any decision made or any other acts or omissions in connection with your use of this material.

Chainalysis does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of the information in any particular podcast and will not be responsible for any claim attributable to errors, omissions, or other inaccuracies of any part of such material. 

Unless stated otherwise, reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Chainalysis. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by Chainalysis employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company. 

Traditional financial crime has evolved from robbing banks to now draining crypto wallets and law enforcement is expected to keep up with this lightning quick and cutting edge technology to combat transnational criminals.

2 | Jason’s experience working in law enforcement battling cyber crime and darknet markets

4 | Exploring the role of Homeland Security Investigations in combating cybercrime and transnational organized crime 

7 | Evolving criminal tactics and law enforcement's technological adaptation

9 | Cross-border collaboration in combating transnational crime and protecting USA/Canada border

14 | Challenges for investigators, judges and juries when it comes to crypto based investigations

17 | Recruiting Technologically Skilled Agents for Homeland Security Investigations

20 | Public-Private Partnerships and the role they have in fighting cyber crime and money laundering 

23 | Multi-agency initiatives to take down crypto and transnational organized crime

26 | HSI’s expansion of the cybercrime center and portfolios in the network intrusion and darknet market space

Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key.

This website may contain links to third-party sites that are not under the control of Chainalysis, Inc. or its affiliates (collectively “Chainalysis”). Access to such information does not imply association with, endorsement of, approval of, or recommendation by Chainalysis of the site or its operators, and Chainalysis is not responsible for the products, services, or other content hosted therein.

Our podcasts are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to provide legal, tax, financial, or investment advice. Listeners should consult their own advisors before making these types of decisions. Chainalysis has no responsibility or liability for any decision made or any other acts or omissions in connection with your use of this material.

Chainalysis does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of the information in any particular podcast and will not be responsible for any claim attributable to errors, omissions, or other inaccuracies of any part of such material. 

Unless stated otherwise, reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Chainalysis. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by Chainalysis employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company.