Proof of Talk Roundup

The first day of the Proof of Talk Web3 event got off to a roaring start at the Musée Arts Décoratifs at Louvre Palace in the heart of Paris. Crypto Megan, a popular and influential face in Web3, opened the event. She set a thoughtful, forward-looking tone for the day’s proceedings which included sessions on the industry’s most pressing issues across two stages and a handful of workshops. She remarked:  „We gathered in this iconic setting for this iconic conference to discuss all angles from the future of couture to the future of TradFi.“

Let’s dive into session highlights and what we thought about the day.

Session Highlights

Why Bitcoin is the Best Money Ever

• Dr. Saifedean Ammous, Economist & Author

Bitcoin differs from traditional forms of money in several aspects, some might say it is the best money ever. Dr. Saifedean Ammous, Author of „The Bitcoin Standard“, delved into how the Bitcoins cryptographic foundation ensures unmatched security and immutability through factors like its fixed supply, predictable growth and its decentralized nature.

Dr. Saifedean Ammous: "Bitcoin does not rely on people to operate; it relies on mathematics and is free from human intervention. No CEO, no customer service — just a global, accessible currency. Faster and more reliable than fiat, and harder than gold."

The Path Towards TradFi and Crypto Convergence

• Aditya Turakhia, Head of Institutional Markets, Ripple
• Robyn Friedman, Head of Blockchain, Nomura
• Diogo Monica, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman, Anchorage Digital
• Sergej Kunz, Co-Founder, 1inch
• Xavier Gomez, Founder, MUWPAY

One of the most significant developments in DeFi, blockchain, and crypto is its uptake in traditional financial circles. A trend which, as the panelists discussed, is strong, with the recent tailwinds and growing institutional presence in the space. Still, there is room to grow.

Robyn Friedman, Head of Blockchain, Nomura: “Web3 provides opportunities for TradFi to enhance efficiency.“

Aditya Turakhia, Head of Institutional Markets, Ripple: “And let us not focus too much on centralize, de-centralized. There are reasons to embrace both, just let the technology work for you. Use the technology to maximize efficiency.”

Sergej Kunz, Co-Founder, 1inch: “And you will see that TradFi will because of this efficiency embraces Web3 and in few years we will trade traditional equity on a blockchain.”  

The Future of Crypto Finance: Exploring ETFs and Tokenization

• Ophelia Snyder, Co-Founder & President, 21Shares
• Matthew Sigel, Head of Digital Assets Research, VanEck
• Jason Xavier, Head EMEA & APAC Capital Markets, Franklin Templeton
• Eric Balchunas, Senior ETF Analyst, Bloomberg

There’s no avoiding the recent spot Bitcoin and ETH approvals, and the massive bet big asset managers have put-on real-world asset tokenization. This panel used this as a departure point to discuss the future of crypto finance.

Ophelia Snyder, Co-Founder and President, 21shares: “Bitcoin is attended to be a form of currency, it is not controlled by governmental entities or inflation. The question we should ask is whether Bitcoin really is about being able to do direct transactions or if it is about having more control over our own finances outside of governments and institutions.”

Matthew Sigel, Head of Digital Assets Research, VanEck: “There are two things to keep in mind. One, everyone in this room understand the utility of crypto and the future it can bring. Two, when it comes to managing other people’s money, you need to let a third party hold them. The same thing can be applied with Bitcoin and that is what ETF is here for.”

Navigating International Crypto Laws

• Francois Volpoet, Managing Director France, Chainalysis
• Peter Grosskopf, Co-Founder & CTO, Unstoppable Finance
• Lee Schneider, General Counsel, Ava Labs
• Michael Chobanian, Founder, KUNA Exchange
• Inbar Preiss, Regulatory Correspondant, DL News

There is varying progress globally regarding crypto laws, with some regions, like Asia, possessing inconsistent rules across its territories. While others, like the US, are in the beginning stages, making navigating decentralization difficult.

Francois Volpoet, Managing Director France, Chainalysis: "The problem is the lack of knowledge, leading governments to attempt controlling the whole ecosystem through regulation. To address the problem of regulatory overreach, we must collectively work to increase knowledge and understanding of blockchain."

Lee Schneider, General Counsel, Ava Labs: „The narrative that blockchain is only about finance is fundamentally wrong. There are so many more use cases for blockchain. There will be continuous innovation, and all blockchains are valuable to their communities. That’s the beauty of decentralization: everyone can find their space in a way that’s not possible in a centralized world.“

Proof of Talk POV

This is what Matthias Reiser, Co-Founder Proof of Talk, had to say about today! Feel free to use in your coverage:

“One of my takeaways from today was the importance of tokenization for the future’s financial markets. Not only does this increase but improves access. The limit is the sky for value creation as nearly anything can be tokenized. There was a real feel of empowerment here and in all of the other sessions, discussions, and workshops. We’re nicely set up to take this attitude along with the collaborative approach I’ve been seeing into tomorrow.”