The Owl Explains Hootenanny

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.

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.

What happens when trust collapses faster than institutions can rebuild it? Amanda Wick, founder of the Association for Women in Crypto and author of The Catalysts, joins Owl Explains to unpack the forces fueling a new world financial order—from DeFi to geopolitics. A single podcast episode can’t fit everything, so check out her book for more: The Catalysts 🎧 Listen in 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.

Legal experts Lilya Tessler (Sidley Austin) and Chris Brummer (Blueprint) pull back the curtain on new token disclosure guidelines that could transform crypto markets. This episode gets real about what transparency actually means for blockchain's next chapter—without the jargon. Check out two versions of the proposed guidelines here: May 3rd: https://www.sidley.com/en/-/media/uploads/mn23267-fintech-and-blockchain-symposium--token-standardized-disclosures-document_fnl.pdf?la=en October 21st: https://global-dca.org/proposed-u-s-disclosure-guidelines/ 🎧 Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts

Professor Andreas Park from the University of Toronto discusses how blockchain can transform the trading and management of securities. In this episode, he shares his research on overcoming the complex challenges of integrating stocks, dividends, and voting rights into decentralized systems, offering insights into the future of finance. Learn more in his paper: https://edas.info/showPaper.php?m=1571031828

Andreas Park (University of Toronto) and Katya Malinova (McMaster University) discuss their research on how automated market makers (AMMs) from DeFi could revolutionize equity trading. We explore the potential savings, challenges, and future of finance in a digital age. Check out their paper below: Learning from DeFi: Would Automated Market Makers Improve Equity Trading?

Yiming Ma from Columbia Business School and Anthony Zhang from UChicago explore the intricacies of stablecoins and their impact on financial stability. Learn about the critical role of arbitrage in maintaining price stability and the potential risks associated with these digital assets. Check out their paper here.

Nehan Sethi and Jordan Teague (Web3 Attorneys at Campbell Teague) explore how AI challenges traditional notions of authorship and creativity, and the potential for blockchain to revolutionize IP protection. 🎧 Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.