Episode description

Lex interviews Tom Duff Gordon, the Vice President of International Policy at Coinbase, where he drives the company’s engagement with policymakers in global markets across the UK, Europe, APAC,  LatAm, and the MENA region. Together, Tomm and Lex discuss the importance of policy work in the financial services industry, especially after the 2008 financial crisis, and how policy teams collaborate with regulators to shape the regulatory environment; the reasons why the financial services industry is heavily regulated, including the systemic and interconnected nature of the financial system and the need to protect retail consumers; the regulatory approaches to cryptocurrency and digital assets in different jurisdictions, with Europe (MiCA), the US, and other regions like Asia. The discussion highlights the diverse and evolving nature of crypto regulation globally; the challenges faced by the US in developing a coherent regulatory framework for crypto assets, particularly the jurisdictional tussle between the SEC and CFTC; Coinbase's efforts to advocate for clear and balanced crypto regulation, including through grassroots initiatives like "Stand with Crypto"; and lastly, Coinbase's evolving product strategy, expanding beyond its core exchange business into areas like custody, lending, and infrastructure for the broader crypto ecosystem.

MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION

Topics: Coinbase, Credit Suisse, SEC, Circle, MiCA, Stand With Crypto, FIT21, financial regulation, financial policy, crypto, exchange, USDC

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TIMESTAMPS

1’02: Shaping the Future of Finance: Tom Duff Gordon’s career involving Policy, Crypto, and Global Regulation

7’30: Preventing Financial Panic: How Regulation Mitigates Systemic Collapse

13’12: From Bank Runs to Balance Sheets: Tackling Systemic Risk and Preventing Financial Contagion

16’32: Regulating Crypto: Global Progress and Emerging Frameworks

19’42: Expanding Crypto Regulation Worldwide: Frameworks, Challenges, and the Road Ahead

28’18: Crypto and the SEC: Unpacking America’s Contradictory Approach to Regulation

34’30: Crypto Politics: Why the US is Divided While Europe Stays Unified

41’30: Scaling Crypto: Coinbase's Multi-Vertical Strategy and Ecosystem Vision

45’28: The channels used to connect with Tom & learn more about Coinbase

Disclaimer here — this newsletter does not provide investment advice and represents solely the views and opinions of FINTECH BLUEPRINT LTD.

Contributors: Lex, Laurence, Matt, Farhad, Mike, Daniella

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