CoinDesk

The Protocol: Bitcoin Censorship, or Just 'Spam Filtering?'

In this week’s issue of The Protocol newsletter, we’re highlight blockchain developers named in CoinDesk’s Most Influential list just out, including Blockstream’s Lisa Neigut, Polygon’s Jordi Baylina, Base’s Jesse Pollak and Optimism’s Karl Floersch….Read full story at CoinDesk >

The Most Influential Folks in Crypto Regulations

CoinDesk published its annual Most Influential list (it’s not a ranking, except for the top 10 being maybe more influential than the other 40). I wrote a few pieces (I had nothing to do with the art and didn’t know about it when I wrote the pieces), as did my CoinDesk reg team colleagues, but I wanted to take a minute to recognize other influential figures who we may see pop up again.
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New Binance CEO Evasive in First Marquee Interview Since Getting One of the Biggest Jobs in Crypto

In his first public interview since getting the job last month after founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao was formed to step down amid a $4.3 billion legal settlement with the U.S. government, Teng said Binance’s compliance systems were inadequate in the past and that mistakes were made. But Teng, who has held senior positions at Binance for several years, refused to give answers about the company’s governance….Read full story at CoinDesk >

Ron Faris at Nike Is Running With Web3

As many corporations shied away from blockchain-powered initiatives this year, the shoemaker has been quietly building a model for how brands can use a Web3 backend to win new audiences….Read full story at CoinDesk >

'Pacman' Gobbled NFT Sales With Blur

Blur upended OpenSea’s NFT marketplace dominance by focusing on big traders. Its cofounder, Pacman, who doxxed himself to face its burgeoning community, earns a spot on the Most Influential 2023….Read full story at CoinDesk >

Jesse Pollak Is Putting the Base in Coinbase

Coinbase’s layer-2 blockchain, which launched this year, helps the exchange to scale and reduce transaction fees. Rivals, like Kraken, are now said to be launching their own layer 2s….Read full story at CoinDesk >

Refik Anadol's AI-Driven Work Breaks Big in 2023

Digital artist Refik Anadol’s creatively sculpted imaginations generated wonder and discussion as he brought his data-generated artwork from the blockchain to the world’s largest screens….Read full story at CoinDesk >

Brian Armstrong of Coinbase Is Crypto's Last Big Man Standing

With CZ gone at Binance, and SBF set for prison, Brian Armstrong is the biggest big gun still in the hot seat. Having launched its own layer-2 blockchain and derivatives exchange this year, and ETFs looking poised to launch in 2024, Coinbase looks well positioned to ride crypto’s next wave….Read full story at CoinDesk >

Gary Gensler: The Crypto Lightning Rod Who Runs the SEC

Assessing who was the most influential regulator or law enforcement official in a year when so many have affected or shaped the crypto industry is challenging. But influence is not just measured by action and impact; it’s the reactions caused, the responses garnered, the way we hang on to words said and left unsaid that demonstrate influence. Using this criteria, there’s really only one winner: SEC Chair Gary Gensler….Read full story at CoinDesk >

Crypto for Advisors: Investing in Web3

Alex Tapscott, author of the recently published book Web3: Charting the Internet’s Next Economic and Cultural Frontier, takes us through Web3 investment opportunities in today’s Advisors….Read full story at CoinDesk >