Bitwise talks Paradigm and Perkins Coie regs at TC Sessions: Crypto

Crypto entities ranging from large exchanges to small projects are headed for government regulation. Whether it comes through the Securities and Exchange Commission or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, many players in the space are looking for concrete future guidance on how to build compliant businesses in an emerging sector while navigating rules built for traditional finance.

And while crypto entrepreneurs and investors know regulation is inevitable, they’re also looking to find the sweetest deal possible when 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 the crypto sector’s growth and future innovation in the space.

This regulatory tug of war is just one reason why we are excited that 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” at TC Sessions: Crypto in Miami on November 17.

We will discuss whether there has been an increase in institutional adoption and how the regulations may affect adoption in the future. Granted frustration at the lack of clarity in regulatory guidance, we’ll ask Dowling, Shtylman and Slaughter how legal crypto firms and advisors advise clients to navigate the current landscape while still operating in a compliant manner.

Dowling brings a unique perspective to the table, having experience working both in private equity firms and as a federal prosecutor in the Financial Crimes Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Shtylman brings deep knowledge of fintech and blockchain and Slaughter brings legal and advisory experience in both the public and private sectors. We’ll dive into the latest insights on how new regulatory frameworks will impact the digital asset industry and get their views on whether we can expect to see clarity on this in the US by the end of the year.

Prior to joining Bitwise, Dowling served in general counsel, CCO and COO roles at several finance and private equity firms. She also co-founded Luminate Capital Partners, where she held positions as GP, CEO and COO.

Dowling, a graduate of Harvard Law, 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 other agencies to prosecute cases including insider trading , fraud and money laundering cases. She also sits on the boards of two non-profit organisations.

As a partner at Perkins Coie, Sarah Shtylman focuses on the fintech and blockchain industry. The clients she advises range from entrepreneurs and startups to large technological and regulated financial institutions. Shtylman advises on a range 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 engaged directly with state and federal regulators to discuss the applicability of various financial services regulatory regimes to new blockchain technology platforms and protocols that her clients are developing.

Prior to Perkins Coie, Shtylman served as in-house regulatory counsel at Coinbase and has experience in cryptocurrency network development and launches, asset-backed digital tokens (including stablecoins), peer-to-peer lending, corporate governance, Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) ) compliance, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Financial Services Arbitration and Litigation.

Prior to joining Paradigm, Justin Slaughter was Director of the Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs and Senior Advisor to Acting Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission Allison Herren Lee. He has also served as Principal Policy Advisor and Special Advisor to former Commodity Futures Trading Commission Commissioner Sharon Bowen and General Counsel to Senator Edward J. Markey.

Slaughter has also served as a consultant in private practice focusing on fintech and smaller technology companies, and he began his career as a law clerk to Judge Jerome Farris of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Justin holds a BA from Columbia University and a JD from Yale Law School.

Take advantage of our early bird pricing and save $150 on general admission tickets. Buy your passport today and join the blockchain, crypto, DeFi, NFT and web3 communities at TC Sessions: Crypto on November 17 in Miami.

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