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What happens when one of the most well-known blockchain and cryptocurrency skeptics in the universe agrees to be interviewed on the CryptoLaw Podcast? No spoiler alerts here, so give a listen, as your host Adrian Cortez and attorney Gabriel Shapiro, founder of ZeroLaw, speak with journalist David Gerard, perennial skeptic and author of the book Attack of the 50 Foot Blockchain. Guests You can’t understand Bitcoin without understanding that it was not a project to invent an interesting new payment network. It was a political project. David GerardTweet David Gerard writes the cryptocurrency and blockchain news site Attack of the 50 Foot Blockchain, and is the author of the 2017 book Attack of the 50 Foot Blockchain: Bitcoin, Blockchain, Ethereum & Smart Contracts. As well as being a crypto journalist, he also works as a Unix system administrator, where his job includes keeping track of exciting new technologies, and advising against the bad ones. It would be … naive to think that regulators and governments won’t be … interested in passing [laws that dramatically limit DeFi’s usefulness] the more that DeFi ends up becoming popular because it is an existential threat. Gabriel ShapiroTweet Gabriel Shapiro is an experienced securities and mergers & acquisitions attorney who has been involved in the blockchain and cryptocurrency space for several years. When he last visited with us, he was practicing at DLX law, one of the highest-ranked legal practice groups in the industry. He has recently announced that he will be taking a temporary step back from legal practice to build ZeroLaw, which he describes as “blockchain deal technology.” If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with your friends on social media and don’t forget to subscribe, follow us on Twitter, and drop us a review on iTunes.

With ICOs failing to serve the demand for alternative crowdfunding in crypto and STOs being too similar to the system everyone in crypto is trying to disrupt, what is left for blockchain startups wanting to tokenize the world? Introducing IEOs (initial exchange offerings), the latest hype in the crypto sphere. Are initial exchange offerings helpful or harmful? Share your comments below or if you would like to speak with an attorney, click here to be redirected to Gulovsen Law Office. There are an amazing 331,000 results in Google SERPs for the term “initial exchange offering.” But what does it stand for? In short, an IEO is a token generation event-fueled fundraising mechanism initiated and administered by an exchange. An IEO differs from an ICO in the following manner: The exchange is responsible for raising the funds for the projects, instead of the project/company itself.The exchange manages the distribution of tokens in the case of IEOs, whereas in the case of an ICO, a smart contract created by the company/project team handles that.The exchange is responsible for the marketing (although the project team can conduct additional marketing) for the IEO, whereas in an ICO, the marketing is conditioned by the team or external contractors, through bounty and airdrops.The exchange handles the due diligence and filters the scams. Read more about IEOs here.  In this episode, Grant Gulovsen & Roxana Nasoi from the Cryptolaw Podcast discuss initial exchange offerings (the good, the bad, and the ugly sides) with our guest On Yavin, Founder and CEO of Cointelligence. Make sure to check the latest report on exchanges and their ratings from Cointelligence! Don’t forget to subscribe, follow us on Twitter, and drop us a review on iTunes if you like our contents.

Decentralization is what allows Bitcoin to substitute an army of computers for an army of accountants, investigators, and lawyers.— Nick Szabo 🔑 (@NickSzabo4) September 4, 2015 The concept of “decentralization” and the law is not necessarily new, but its implementation raises many questions, such as: Is it possible to come up with a legal definition for “decentralization?”Does the current legal system impose any boundaries or limits upon decentralization?Who is responsible for maintaining a decentralized network?Should developers be held liable, and if so, do they owe a fiduciary duty to users of the decentralized network?Is it even possible to regulate a decentralized network? Is on/off-chain governance enough to address and resolve disputes? Guests Marc Boiron Marc Boiron Our first guest is Marc Boiron, a partner in the FinTech and Blockchain practice group of FisherBroyles. He represents leaders in blockchain technology, advising operating companies, exchange and funds on matters related to digital currencies and security tokens in a wide range of industries. Jor Law Jor Law Jor Law is a finance and securities attorney, most well-known for his expertise in secured lending and alternative finance, including EB-5, venture capital, crowdfunding, and tokenized securities. He co-founded VerifyInvestor.com, the dominant accredited investor verification service in the world at the time it was acquired. Jor has advised prominent companies such as tZERO, Polymath, and Prime Trust. Disclaimer The information presented in The CryptoLaw Podcast is provided for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only, without any express or implied warranty of any kind, including warranties of accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose. It is not intended to be, and does not, constitute legal, financial, investment, trading, or any other advice. This podcast does not establish a lawyer-client relationship between you or anyone else, including any of the attorneys appearing on the podcast. All of the information presented is general in nature and is not specific to you or anyone else. Do not make any decision, legal, financial, investment, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented in this podcast without consulting a licensed attorney or professional financial advisor, as appropriate. You understand that you use or rely on any and all Information your hear on this podcast at your own risk. Get in touch with us by leaving your comments below and reaching out to us on social media: Twitter: @thecryptolaw LinkedIn: Cryptolaw Podcast Instagram: @thecryptolaw Facebook: @thecryptolaw

Despite all the very bad things that happened last year that were either directly or indirectly related to initial coin offerings (or “ICOs”), your hosts at the CryptoLaw Podcast have to admit that we kind of miss all the excitement and seemingly unlimited opportunities that went along with them… ☹ If you feel the same way, then we’ve got some very good news… 😏 Because the CryptoLaw Podcast is back and we have the episode you’ve all been waiting for as our special guests Lewis Cohen and Gabriel Shapiro of DLX Law (interviewed by Olta Andoni and our newest host, Adrian Cortez) serve up large helpings of hopium that we’ve all been craving! Take a look! 👇 Our first guest is Lewis Cohen, who was recently ranked as one of the top blockchain lawyers in the entire United States by London-based Chambers. Lewis was kind enough to share publicly for the very first time his upcoming article that has the potential to reinvigorate the entire utility token conversation by defining a new framework for analyzing digital assets which concludes the following: Tokens themselves are almost never securities.Wut?!? 😮 It’s true! Listen! 😃 Gabriel Shapiro, Lewis’s colleague at DLX law and another top legal talent in the crypto space, discusses the the impact of “blockchainizing” corporate stocks and also concludes that despite their flaws, security token offerings (“STOs”), also known as digital security offerings (“DSOs”) have a very bright future ahead of them. In addition, both attorneys offer insight on the current regulatory landscape, the need to revisit the accredited investor rules, and the likelihood (or unlikelihood) that “The Crypto Taxonomy Act” will pass in its current form. How cool is that? 😎 Get in touch with us by leaving your comments below and reaching out to us on social media: Twitter: @thecryptolaw LinkedIn: Cryptolaw Podcast Instagram: @thecryptolaw Facebook: @thecryptolaw

Wyoming has recently enacted blockchain legislation to enable global players to conduct business within the state. Our guest Bob Cornish has played an instrumental role as member of the Wyoming Blockchain Coalition, and provides us with his take on how the least populous state in the nation is having the largest impact on blockchain-related legislation not just in the U.S., but all around the world. Bob Cornish is a leading attorney in the digital assets arena, given his experience as in-house counsel for investment managers and for family offices. Bob’s experience on both sides of transactions provides useful insight for issuers, investors and intermediaries involved in the development, placement and compliance aspects of cryptocurrency and blockchain ventures. Get in touch with us by leaving your comments below and reaching out to us on social media: Twitter: @thecryptolaw LinkedIn: Cryptolaw Podcast Instagram: @thecryptolaw Facebook: @thecryptolaw

Happy New Year! The CryptoLaw Podcast team took a break over the holidays, but we are back and excited to announce the first episode for 2019. Today, your hosts Roxana and Ramy cover the topic of crypto assets across the UK, in an outstanding interview with Neil Foster, partner at Baker Botts (UK), and Toby Lewis, CEO of Novum Insights. Background Information Our guests Neil Foster and Toby Lewis, along with fellow members of the Crypto-Asset Group drafted a Response to The Treasury Select Committee Report on Regulation of Crypto-Assets in the UK, which includes a series of practical calls to action towards the regulatory landscape, including banking, taxation, and a comparison among crypto friendly jurisdictions. The official reply can be read and downloaded in PDF format from the Baker Botts website, here. Key Takeaways from the Interview We touched on several important topics in during the interview, including: a comparison between the US and the UK, where we get a legal and business understanding of why US regulations might not match the UK landscape;the need of a collective approach, inviting organizations that have input to offer in the regulatory process; andthe fact that some major aspects in the reality of the crypto space are being left out of the equation. “Bad regulation is worse than no regulation”. Neil Foster What do you think? Please let us know in the comments below and reach out to us on social media: Twitter: @thecryptolaw LinkedIn: Cryptolaw Podcast Instagram: @thecryptolaw Facebook: @thecryptolaw

Your host Ramy Gabal along with regular guest (and Chicago-Kent adjunct law professor) Olta Andoni interview journalist, entrepreneur and financial markets expert Michael Creadon. Michael Creadon is the founder and CEO of 4Rev, a cryptocurrency-focused news site that provides honest, reliable, unbiased information about global cryptocurrency markets. Prior to getting involved in the cryptocurrency industry, Michael was the CEO of Traditum Group, a proprietary trading firm specializing in bonds, commodities and foreign exchange. He has also served as a writer for TIME Magazine and Bloomberg News. You can find him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-creadon/ Interview Topics “The State of the Crypto Union”Comparing the Commodities and Cryptocurrency MarketsThe Role of Regulators and Why They are Not Your EnemyJournalistic Integrity in the Crypto SpaceCoverage of Cryptocurrency in the Mainstream MediaImportant Trends in the Cryptocurrency IndustryAnd more! Michael Creadon is a critical thinker, a gifted writer and, most important of all, a man of integrity. He applies all of these skills on a daily basis at 4Rev and on LinkedIn and in so doing has become a highly respected thought leader in the cryptocurrency space in a very short period of time. Disclaimer The information presented in The CryptoLaw Podcast is provided for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only, without any express or implied warranty of any kind, including warranties of accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose. It is not intended to be, and does not, constitute legal, financial, investment, trading, or any other advice. This podcast does not establish a lawyer-client relationship between you or anyone else, including any of the attorneys appearing on the podcast. All of the information presented is general in nature and is not specific to you or anyone else. Do not make any decision, legal, financial, investment, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented in this podcast without consulting a licensed attorney or professional financial advisor, as appropriate. You understand that you use or rely on any and all Information your hear on this podcast at your own risk. Please let us know what you think of this episode and if you enjoy it, we would be grateful if you shared it with others and rated/reviewed it on one or more of the podcast subscription services available here.

This week’s episode features our resident registered patent attorney Zach Smolinski educating your hosts Ramy and Grant, and regular guests Wes Williams and Benny Rozin, about patents, followed by the news. Main Topic: Patents and Blockchain Our resident registered patent attorney Zach Smolinski provides one of the best overviews of patent law that we’ve ever heard along with helpful guidance that blockchain (or really any startup) founders can use to help them better understand how patents work as well as if they are needed. News Topics Thankfully, the main topic for this episode justifies the download by itself, because the news topics are rather depressing, especially considering the fact that both topics probably had a role to play in one of the reddest markets we’ve seen in a very long time (ugh). 😧 SEC Shuts Down EtherDelta The SEC issued an order in the case of the (somewhat) decentralized EtherDelta Exchange. We talk about what happened and what it means for crypto exchanges, and crypto in general, moving forward. The Latest Bitcoin Cash Fork Remember the first time you heard about Bitcoin Cash and the fork which created it? When it finally went down last year, some of us considered the ensuing debate and posturing rather ridiculous. In hindsight, it was calm and uneventful compared to the temper tantrums happening this go round. Can crypto survive? Yes, but lets try not to do this again, shall we? Disclaimer The information presented in The CryptoLaw Podcast is provided for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only, without any express or implied warranty of any kind, including warranties of accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose. It is not intended to be, and does not, constitute legal, financial, investment, trading, or any other advice. This podcast does not establish a lawyer-client relationship between you or anyone else, including any of the attorneys appearing on the podcast. All of the information presented is general in nature and is not specific to you or anyone else. Do not make any decision, legal, financial, investment, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented in this podcast without consulting a licensed attorney or professional financial advisor, as appropriate. You understand that you use or rely on any and all Information your hear on this podcast at your own risk. And of course, for those of you who haven’t done it yet, please subscribe to The CryptoLaw Podcast, share and rate us.

Your host Roxana Nasoi along with regular guest and practicing attorney Wes Williams interview Law Professor and Emerging Technology Strategist Wulf Kaal for this episode of The CryptoLaw Podcast. Wulf Kaal is a law professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law as well as a leading expert on emerging technology applications in numerous industries, including token sales, smart contracts, private investment fund regulation and compliance. His scholarship focuses upon emerging technology applications in corporate governance and private investment fund regulation in the United States. He is one of the leading proponents of dynamic regulatory solutions for innovation, and the founder and CEO of Semada. You can connect with him on Twitter @WulfKaal. Interview Topics SemadaStability; Liquidity; Utility; GovernanceDecentralized Autonomous OrganizationsStablecoins and the importance of a stable currencyLaw and regulation in the United States and internationallyImportance of UI/UX for cryptocurrency adoption Disclaimer The information presented in The CryptoLaw Podcast is provided for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only, without any express or implied warranty of any kind, including warranties of accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose. It is not intended to be, and does not, constitute legal, financial, investment, trading, or any other advice. This podcast does not establish a lawyer-client relationship between you or anyone else, including any of the attorneys appearing on the podcast. All of the information presented is general in nature and is not specific to you or anyone else. Do not make any decision, legal, financial, investment, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented in this podcast without consulting a licensed attorney or professional financial advisor, as appropriate. You understand that you use or rely on any and all Information your hear on this podcast at your own risk.

In this week’s episode, your co-hosts Roxana and Ramy cover a slew of tantalizing topics alongside a legal panel consisting of podcast regulars Wes Williams, Zach Smolinski, and Olta Andoni. Main Topic: Real Estate and Blockchain Our resident real estate aficionado (and experienced practitioner) Wes Williams covers the ins and outs of blockchain technology’s real potential in real estate. He not only answers some of the most common questions but raises several more for us to ponder. News Topics This past week was not short on news topics to discuss. EOS vs Consensys Consensys recently commissioned several studies into rival EOS’s operation in what might appear to some (especially EOS fans) as paid hit pieces. At the same time, it’s hard to dispute the data. Does Ethereum’s largest support organization have a leg to stand on or is it just fake news? Gab Silenced Gab, an online social media platform founded upon principles of free speech and popular with many non-mainstream groups including the alt-right, was temporarily forced offline after it was discovered that the Pittsburgh synagogue shooter was a regular user of the site. But instead of being forced offline by any form of government action (which would have been a violation of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution) it was forced offline by its private service providers, like GoDaddy, Paypal and Stripe (which is not a violation of the First Amendment). So what is a site like Gab supposed to do to stay online? Did someone say “blockchain?” Yes. In fact, its founder Andrew Torba has said that many times. Regardless of your feelings about Gab and its users, if Gab transitions to a decentralized, blockchain-powered network, it will be a true test of blockchain’s ability to withstand centralized censorship and control. Hong Kong’s (Re)Joining the Game Hong Kong, a major player in the global financial markets, has finally unveiled its first set of rules governing the cryptocurrency market. Following a number of market manipulation and fraud cases, mainland China imposed a complete ban on ICOs and crypto trading exchanges in September 2017. These new rules, announced by the Securities and Futures Commission, aim to make Hong Kong the world’s newest crypto trading hub. But what do these new laws look like and what do they mean for traders? Disclaimer The information presented in The CryptoLaw Podcast is provided for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only, without any express or implied warranty of any kind, including warranties of accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose. It is not intended to be, and does not, constitute legal, financial, investment, trading, or any other advice. This podcast does not establish a lawyer-client relationship between you or anyone else, including any of the attorneys appearing on the podcast. All of the information presented is general in nature and is not specific to you or anyone else. Do not make any decision, legal, financial, investment, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented in this podcast without consulting a licensed attorney or professional financial advisor, as appropriate. You understand that you use or rely on any and all Information your hear on this podcast at your own risk. And of course, for those of you who haven’t done it yet, please subscribe to The CryptoLaw Podcast, share and rate us.