• Edward Snowden spoke at Camp Decrypt about the Ethereum Merge, sanctions on Tornado Cash, and the use of DAOs.
• Kathleen Breitman discussed proof-of-stake systems and NFT gaming at Web Summit.
• Clay Robbins, Soona Amhaz, Sarah Guo, and Alex Strzesniewski discussed raising capital in a bear market at 0xpo Summit, and the Crypties Awards recognized Bored Ape Yacht Club as NFT Project of the Year.
In October, Edward Snowden spoke at Camp Decrypt in Napa, California about a number of topics, including the Ethereum Merge, the sanctioning of Ethereum mixer Tornado Cash by the U.S. government, the privacy shortcomings of Bitcoin and Ethereum, and his view on using DAOs to source tips from whistleblowers. Snowden was candid in his assessment of the situation, noting that while the Ethereum Merge, which is designed to make the protocol more efficient and secure, is a good idea, there are some concerns about the potential for centralization. Regarding the sanctions on Tornado Cash, Snowden expressed his view that the U.S. government was overreaching in its attempts to limit privacy-related activities. He also discussed the privacy shortcomings of Bitcoin and Ethereum, emphasizing the need for privacy-focused protocols and projects. Finally, Snowden spoke about the potential for DAOs to be used to source tips from whistleblowers, noting that this could provide a valuable service in countries with oppressive governments.
Kathleen Breitman, co-founder of Tezos, talked at Web Summit in Lisbon about the Tezos blockchain and the advantages of using a proof-of-stake system. She also expressed her admiration for Tendermint, Ethereum, and sharding, and discussed the concept of progressive decentralization. Lastly, Breitman discussed NFT gaming, noting that it has been gaining traction in the crypto sphere.
Clay Robbins of Slow Ventures, Soona Amhaz of Volt Capital, Sarah Guo of Conviction and formerly Greylock, and Alex Strzesniewski of AngelBlock joined Decrypt’s Jason Nelson at 0xpo Summit in San Francisco to discuss raising venture money even during a bear market. The panelists discussed their strategies for navigating the current crypto market and the importance of understanding risk and managing expectations.
The inaugural Crypties Awards from Decrypt Studios in Miami honored the best projects in the crypto space. Bored Ape Yacht Club was awarded NFT Project of the Year, with the other nominees in the category being Moonbirds, Azuki, DeGods, and CloneX. Illa Da Producer accepted the Cryptie on behalf of Yuga Labs from presenter Alanna Roazzi-Laforet.
Overall, the events held at Camp Decrypt, Web Summit, 0xpo Summit, and the Crypties Awards provided an interesting and informative look into the current state of the cryptocurrency space. From Edward Snowden’s views on the Ethereum Merge to the strategies discussed by venture capitalists, it was a great opportunity to learn more about the opportunities and challenges facing the industry.
