The Owl Explains Hootenanny

What happens when Bordeaux meets blockchain? Connor Daly, CTO of CruTrade, explains how tokenizing wine on the blockchain is transforming a $25B industry with transparency, traceability, and a whole new kind of cellar. By unlocking instant liquidity and aligning incentives, the model empowers producers with fairer economics and gives collectors and consumers trusted access to the world’s finest bottles. Discover more at crutrade.io 🎧 Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Keith Bear, Fellow at Cambridge Judge Business School, joins us to break down what digital money really looks like in a tokenized economy. From stablecoins to CBDCs, we explore what’s working, what’s missing, and what still needs to be reimagined.

Can blockchains ever truly be privacy-compliant? Clifford Chance lawyers walk through the gray areas, from wallet addresses to pseudonymous data, and explain what regulators are starting to expect. 🎧 Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Lord Chris Holmes explains how tokenization could reshape identity, finance, and trust across the UK and beyond. He breaks down what digital assets really are and why they matter for everyone, not just technologists. From refugee ID to football cards, this episode connects the dots between everyday life and emerging tech. 🎧 Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Global crypto rules are changing fast, and 2025 is a turning point. We are joined by Elise Soucie Watts (Executive Director at Global Digital Finance), who discusses the big moves: MiCA in Europe, U.S. legislation, Asia’s innovation wave, and so much more. Check out the GDF’s report on tokenization here. 🎧 Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Michael Mainelli, former Lord Mayor of London, joins Owl Explains to unpack how blockchain can help cities govern smarter: from planning records to transit data. From congestion charges to building permits, Mainelli explains why cities need better memory systems and not just better apps. It’s local meets ledger, and a reminder that blockchain’s real power might lie in fixing what cities forget to track. 🎧 Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Professor Michele Neitz (University of San Francisco) makes the case for tech courts, a bold idea that could help us rethink how justice works in a digital-first world. As AI and blockchain reshape everything from contracts to crime, our legal system needs to evolve. Tech-savvy justice isn’t a luxury anymore but a necessity for protecting rights and resolving disputes in the age of code. 📝 Check out Michele's paper here. 🎧 Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Is DeFi truly decentralized? Is it more than just finance? Join Yvette Valdez (Latham & Watkins), Diana Barrero Zalles (GBBC), Joe Cutler (Perkins Coie), and Lee Schneider (Ava Labs) as they discuss DeFi’s opportunities, risks, and more. Learn more in the GBBC's DeFi report: https://www.gbbc.io/uploads/reports/gsmi50/DeFi-Stand-Alone.pdf 🎧 Listen in Spotify and Apple Podcasts

CFTC Commissioner Summer Mersinger and Sidley Austin’s Kate Lashley discuss the evolving landscape of digital assets regulation in the US. Discover how the CFTC aims to bring crypto onshore through balanced, innovation-friendly policies.

Owl Explains is going global! This episode is part of our Global Series, where we speak with regulators and innovators in their native language to bring local insights to a global audience. 🇻🇳 This episode is in Vietnamese, featuring Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Dung from Vietnam's National Innovation Center (NIC), diving into how Vietnam is embracing Web3 and blockchain technology. {And don't worry, we’ve provided an English transcription below so you can follow along.} Vietnam is stepping up its blockchain game with strong government support and forward-thinking policies! In this episode, we explore Vietnam’s Web3 strategy, including regulatory frameworks, innovation hubs, and startup growth. New policies, like regulatory sandboxes, are helping businesses test blockchain solutions while bridging the gap between innovation and compliance. Industries like banking, logistics, and healthcare are leading blockchain adoption, using it for identity verification, smart contracts, and data security. Vietnam is also learning from Singapore and the U.S., focusing on investment incentives and regulatory clarity to attract global blockchain companies. Plans for three financial hubs in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang signal the country’s push to facilitate digital asset transactions. With a growing developer ecosystem and increasing investor interest, Vietnam is on track to become a blockchain leader in Asia. Listen in Spotify and Apple Podcasts

Get a front-row seat to our Argentina Summit panel on navigating global regulatory shifts in blockchain. Demystify the complexity of global regulation with regional legal and policy experts from the US, EU and APAC as they review recent progress, upcoming implementations, and existing challenges adding to the Web3 riddle. Take a look at Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) and other European regulations coming into full effect in 2025 and beyond, and learn more about the state of play in the US from the perspective of Congress and key regulators, and hear about major issues across key Asia jurisdictions. As the world adapts to a tokenized future, Policy9000 defines a path forward for navigating a global regulatory shift. Lee Schneider - General Counsel, Ava Labs Marina Markezic - Executive Director and Co-Founder, European Crypto Initiative (EUCI) Urszula McCormack - Partner, King & Wood Mallesons Lilya Tessler - Partner, Sidley Austin LLP Caroline Malcolm​ - Formerly Chainalysis, OECD 🎧 Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts 🎥 Video Panel