TRM Talks

Can a crypto-native company become a fully licensed bank? Joey Garcia not only believes it, he has done it.

In this episode, Bitcoin pioneer and Xapo Bank’s Executive Director Joey Garcia joins Ari, to share the story of building a crypto-native bank. From advising government in the early days of Bitcoin in Gibraltar to leading Xapo’s transformation into a regulated financial institution, Joey offers a blueprint for blending digital asset innovation within the rigor of traditional banking regulation.

They explore how Gibraltar’s principles-based approach became a model long before MiCA or US market structure bills, why FATF standards are just one piece of the compliance puzzle, and how Xapo integrates Bitcoin-native infrastructure with full bank licensing.

Joey also draws lessons from swimming 36 kilometers across open water with his teenage daughter — explaining that whether you are charting a new course for finance or crossing a choppy sea, success comes from preparation, persistence, agility, and the willingness to take bold risks.

In this special episode of TRM Talks, Ari sits down with Tyler Williams, Counselor to the Secretary of the US Treasury for digital assets and one of the lead architects of last week’s landmark White House report on digital assets.

Ari and Tyler, from inside the historic Cash Room at Treasury, unpack the 163-page report which outlines a forward-looking framework for market structure, stablecoin oversight, illicit finance mitigation, tax modernization, and responsible innovation.

Tyler offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at how Treasury coordinated with the White House, other financial regulators, law enforcement and national security agencies to deliver a unified approach. He breaks down:

• How the report builds on the GENIUS Act

• Advances global AML standards
• Reimagines compliance through holding mechanisms, ecosystem monitoring, and privacy-preserving technologies.

The episode dives deep into the policy architecture laid out in the report — from piloting new public-private partnerships, to the importance of blockchain intelligence, and pushing Congress toward regulatory clarity. A must-listen for policymakers, compliance teams, crypto builders, and anyone tracking this inflection point in US digital asset policy.

This week on TRM Talks, Ari Redbord, Global Head of Policy, TRM Labs, sits down with Nikhil Raghuveera, CEO of Predicate, to talk about the future of compliance in decentralized finance — and why the next wave of policy innovation will be built directly into code.As DeFi matures and regulators sharpen their focus, projects are facing a new challenge: how to meet real-world policy and legal expectations without compromising decentralization. That conversation usually starts with the question — how do you regulate a world without intermediaries? The answer, as Ari and Nikhil explore, is technology.Through its recent partnership with TRM Labs, Predicate enables developers to enforce AML and sanctions safeguards in real time — at the smart contract level — using TRM’s risk scoring and attribution. The goal isn’t to rebuild the traditional financial system on-chain. It’s to build new rails with market integrity, user privacy, and global risk in mind from day one.In this episode, Ari and Nikhil unpack:• Why “policy infrastructure” is critical to supporting both builders and regulators• How TRM and Predicate are powering programmable compliance for stablecoins, privacy protocols, and tokenized assets• What a decentralized transaction prerequisite system actually looks like in practice• The role of zero-knowledge proofs and verifiable risk tooling in preserving user privacy• And how ethical infrastructure can help unlock responsible DeFi growth at scaleThis isn’t just a conversation about compliance — it’s a blueprint for building trust into decentralized systems.

What happens when a veteran of traditional finance decides to help shape the future of crypto compliance? In this episode, Kraken Chief Compliance Officer CJ Rinaldi joins Ari Redbord, TRM's Global Head of Policy, to discuss his journey from the the SEC to UBS and Deutsche Bank and finally to crypto compliance at Blockchain.com and now Kraken.

CJ delves into what makes a world-class compliance program in today’s fast-evolving digital asset ecosystem — from hiring top-tier talent to integrating blockchain intelligence and AI.

Key highlights include:

• How Kraken builds risk-first, tech-forward compliance infrastructure
• Why AI is a game-changer for due diligence and real-time threat detection
• The convergence of TradFi and crypto—and what it means for regulation
• Navigating financial privacy while combating financial crime
• Collaborating with law enforcement to disrupt ransomware, terrorism financing, and North Korea

The conversation goes deep into the challenges of real-time monitoring, crypto-native risk vectors, and how CJ thinks about operationalizing compliance globally across new asset classes.

Whether you're building in crypto, investing in infrastructure, or working in policy and compliance, CJ’s insights offer a blueprint for what next-gen crypto compliance looks like in practice.

What does effective crypto regulation look like in practice? Ryosuke Ushida, Chief FinTech Officer, Financial Services Agency of Japan (JFSA) joins Ari Redbord, Global Head of Policy at TRM Lab to discuss how Japan became a global leader in regulating digital assets — and what the rest of the world can learn.

From the collapse of Mt. Gox to the containment of FTX's fallout, Japan's regulatory evolution offers key lessons in striking the balance between innovation and investor protection. Ryosuke shares how his journey from engineer to international policymaker shaped his pragmatic approach to crypto, DeFi, stablecoins, and AI.

In this wide-ranging episode you will hear about:

• Why Japan's crypto users recovered funds faster post-FTX
• Japan’s leadership at the FATF
• Regulating stablecoins, virtual asset markets and mitigating and cyber threats
• How AI can transform financial regulation

Whether you’re a policymaker, VASP, or crypto builder, this conversation reveals the frameworks and foresight guiding one of the world’s most mature digital asset regulators.

On this episode of TRM Talks, Ari Redbord sits down with Michael Greenwald — former US Treasury attaché to the Gulf and now Global Head of Financial Innovation and Digital Assets at AWS — to explore the intersection of financial innovation and governments.From representing the United States in high-stakes financial diplomacy to building bridges between policymakers, technologists, and financial institutions, Michael shares his journey and insights on what it takes to create a safer, more connected global financial ecosystem.This conversation unpacks how finance has become a tool of influence, why collaboration is the new currency of trust, and what the path forward looks like in an era of digital transformation and geoeconomic competition.

On the eve of the most important legislative discussion in US crypto history, Congressman Bryan Steil, Chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology and Artificial Intelligence, joins Ari Redbord, TRM's Global Head of Policy, to discuss the most significant legislative efforts impacting the future of digital assets in the United States.With a market structure bill — the CLARITY Act — moving through the House and the imminent passage of stablecoin legislation in the Senate, Congressman Steil shares insights into the journey that led to this pivotal moment. He unpacks the challenges of regulatory uncertainty, the critical importance of dollar dominance through stablecoins, and the transformative potential of Web3 technology.Congressman Steil emphasizes how new legislation aims to unlock investment and innovation by providing a clear regulatory framework — essential for entrepreneurs and established financial institutions alike. He also addresses how public blockchains can support financial integrity by enabling enhanced tracking and transparency, setting crypto apart from legacy systems like gold or cash.Throughout the conversation, Congressman Steil highlights the bipartisan collaboration necessary to get this right, the importance of protecting innovation on US soil, and why getting the regulatory framework right is key to ensuring America’s leadership in the next era of technology. Whether you’re a policymaker, crypto innovator, compliance professional or industry observer, this episode offers a front-row seat to the conversations shaping the future of digital assets and the broader US economy.

In this episode, Ari Redbord, TRM's Global head of Policy, sits down with Kate Eyerman, Chief Compliance Officer at Blockchain.com, to unpack her unconventional path from the US State Department and Treasury to leading compliance in one of crypto’s most dynamic environments.

With deep experience in counter-terrorism financing and sanctions policy, Kate brings a policy-informed lens to navigating the evolving risks in the digital asset space.

Kate and Ari explore the practical challenges of applying legacy financial compliance standards — like the Travel Rule — to blockchain-based finance, and how a strong foundation of AML and sanctions controls enables innovation. Kate also shares candid reflections on the shift from policy theory to operational reality and why public-private partnerships are more than buzzwords in today’s crypto compliance landscape.

From developing transaction monitoring protocols to evaluating emerging threats like AI-generated fraud, the emerging impact on AI on compliance and KYC, Kate emphasizes a risk-based approach rooted in mission-driven strategy. She also discusses the importance of educating policymakers, engaging with global regulators, and maintaining an agile compliance posture amid fast-moving technologies.

And outside of compliance? Kate takes a risk-based approach to kayaking whitewater rivers — an apt metaphor for navigating crypto compliance in 2025.

Crypto compliance is a journey — and sometimes it feels like flying a plane while building it. Fortunately, this week’s TRM Talks guest knows how to do both.

Brandi Reynolds, licensed pilot and trailblazer in crypto compliance, joins Ari Redbord, TRM’s Global Head of Policy, for a high-altitude conversation on what it takes to build and scale effective compliance programs for crypto businesses.

With deep experience leading compliance at major crypto exchanges, Brandi shares practical lessons on managing risk, adapting to evolving regulations, and crafting frameworks that withstand turbulence in a rapidly shifting environment.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to build a compliance program from day one

• Best practices for managing risk in centralized and decentralized platforms
• Real-world insights from one of crypto’s most experienced compliance leaders

Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting your journey, this episode is packed with actionable insights and guidance to help you chart a safe and successful course through crypto compliance.

Binance is the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange — and at its core are people working to shape the future of digital finance. In this episode of TRM Talks, Ari sits down with Eleanor Hughes (General Counsel( and Steven McWhirter, (Global Policy Lead), for an insider conversation on how Binance is navigating today’s evolving global regulatory environment.

Eleanor reflects on her journey from international law to leading legal strategy at Binance, where legal decisions are central to innovation. She dives into what it means to “write the textbooks” on crypto law, especially in an industry where nearly every precedent is being formed in real time.Steven brings his decades-long experience in UK financial regulation to the conversation, offering a rare perspective on bridging traditional policy structures with emerging technologies. From drafting the world’s first cloud outsourcing guidance to shaping global crypto frameworks, his role now focuses on helping Binance set the standard for compliance while driving the ecosystem forward.Key takeaways from this discussion include:

• How Binance balances innovation and regulation globally
• The future of crypto compliance, from policy formation to legal interpretation
• Why collaboration with regulators is key to building responsibly

Together, Eleanor and Steven offer a unique behind-the-scenes look at the intersection of compliance, innovation, and industry leadership — discussing issues from banking access to multilateral cooperation with regulators in Dubai, the EU, and the US.