TC Sessions: Crypto 2022

Bitwise, Paradigm and Perkins Coie talk regs at TC Sessions: Crypto

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 3, 2022Posted in bitwise investments, Crypto, cryptocurrencies, Securities and Exchange Commission, TC Sessions: Crypto, TC Sessions: Crypto 2022, TechCrunch Events 2022, VentureNo Comments

Crypto entities ranging from major exchanges to small projects are on the road to stateside regulation. Whether it comes through the Securities and Exchange Commission or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, many actors in the space are looking for concrete future guidance on how to build compliant businesses in an emerging sector while navigating rules built for traditional finance. And, while crypto founders and investors know regulation is inevitable, they’re also looking to find the sweetest deal possible as they try to influence policymakers. It’s a challenging balance — enough regulation to protect retail investors from a hostile environment but not so much that it stifles the crypto sector’s growth and future innovation in the space. This regulatory tug-of-war is just one reason why we’re thrilled that Katherine Dowling, general counsel and chief compliance officer at Bitwise Asset Management; Sarah Shtylman, partner at Perkins Coie; and Justin Slaughter, policy director at Paradigm, will join us for a session called, “Is Crypto Regulation Ready” at TC Sessions: Crypto in Miami on November 17. We’ll discuss whether or not there’s been an increase in institutional adoption and how the regulatory framework might impact adoption going forward. Given the frustration over the lack of clarity in regulatory guidance, we’ll ask Dowling, Shtylman and Slaughter how legal crypto firms and counsels advise clients to navigate the present landscape while still operating in a compliant way. Dowling brings a unique perspective to the table, having experience working both in private equity firms and as a federal prosecutor in the Economic Crimes Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Shtylman brings deep knowledge of fintech and blockchain and Slaughter brings legal and advisory experience in both the public and private sectors. We’ll dive into the latest insights on how emerging regulatory frameworks will affect the digital asset industry and get their take on whether we can expect to see clarity on this in the U.S. by the end of the year. Prior to joining Bitwise, Dowling served in general counsel, CCO and COO roles at several financial and private equity firms. She also co-founded Luminate Capital Partners, where she held positions as GP, managing director and COO. A Harvard Law graduate, Dowling spent more than a decade as a federal prosecutor, most recently in the Economic Crimes Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, where she worked with the FBI, SEC, IRS and other agencies to prosecute insider trading, fraud and money laundering cases, among others. She also serves on the boards of two nonprofit organizations. As a partner at Perkins Coie, Sarah Shtylman focuses on the fintech and blockchain industries. The clients she advises range from entrepreneurs and startups to big tech and regulated financial institutions. Shtylman counsels on a variety of regulatory, commercial, compliance and product development projects — including NFTs, regulated digital asset platforms, in-game currencies and payment services integrations. Shtylman has advised clients through the application and compliance processes for state and federal trust charters, money transmission licensing and registration and lending licenses. She has engaged directly with state and federal regulators to discuss the applicability of various financial services regulatory regimes to emerging blockchain technology platforms and protocols that her clients are developing. Prior to Perkins Coie, Shtylman served as in-house regulatory counsel at Coinbase and has experience with cryptocurrency network development and launches, asset-backed digital tokens (including stablecoins), peer-to-peer lending, corporate governance, Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) compliance, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration and financial services litigation. Prior to joining Paradigm, Justin Slaughter was director of the office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs and senior advisor to Acting Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Allison Herren Lee. He has also served as chief policy advisor and special counsel to former Commissioner Sharon Bowen at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and general counsel to Senator Edward J. Markey. Slaughter has also served as a consultant in private practice focusing on fintech and smaller technology companies, and he began his career as a law clerk to Judge Jerome Farris on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Justin has a B.A. from Columbia University and a J.D. from Yale Law School. Take advantage of our early bird pricing and save $150 on General Admission passes. Buy your pass today, and then join the blockchain, crypto, DeFi, NFT and web3 communities at TC Sessions: Crypto on November 17 in Miami. Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at TC Sessions: Crypto? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.

Catch these rising startups exhibiting at TC Sessions: Crypto • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 1, 2022Posted in blockchain, Crypto, Startups, TC Sessions: Crypto 2022, web3No Comments

Even when a chill venture wind blows, you’ll find daring entrepreneurs forging ahead, and we’re here to highlight the outstanding early-stage startups in the world of blockchain, cryptocurrency, DeFi, NFT and web3. You’ll find them exhibiting at TC Sessions: Crypto on November 17 in Miami, and what better way to check them out than to buy a pass, get out from behind your screen and come talk to them in person? Check out the eight listed below. You can learn more about five more exhibitors here — and another five exhibitors here. Cityverse: Cityverse is a virtual overlay for a physical city. Powered by local news, a Cityverse connects the community through information, ideas and experiences. Lifo Inc: Tokenized CRM for web3. It aims to become the web3 equivalent of Salesforce. GreenCard: This startup offers digital payment options for cannabis purchases. Howlite: Aims to provide secure, transparent, inexpensive and easy-to-use payments using distributed ledger technology — where traditional payments meet web 3. String Blockchain: A layer-1 blockchain build designed for developers building dApps for everyday use. Poolit: Unlocks access to exclusive alternative investments for as little as $1. Ponds: A web3 copyright licensing platform designed for creators to license their digital content directly to end users. MARPs Club: Defines a new concept, “MARP” (Mass Arts Representative Piece), based on NFTs to accredit value to Mass Art’s artworks Don’t miss your chance to meet, connect and network with some of the most creative early-stage startups bent on redefining the future of finance, blockchain and the web at TC Sessions: Crypto on November 17. Buy your pass now and save $150 — before the early-bird pricing disappears. We’ll see you in Miami! Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at TC Sessions: Crypto? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.

Connect with Hedera, Wilson Sonsini and MetaJuice at TC Sessions: Crypto • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 1, 2022Posted in blockchain, Crypto, NFTs, TC Sessions: Crypto, TC Sessions: Crypto 2022, web3No Comments

ZebethMedia has a long history of partnering with great companies that are not only subject-matter experts, but committed to supporting early-stage startups, too. While this is our first official conference dedicated to the space, TC Sessions: Crypto — November 17 in Miami — is no exception to our great partners rule. Whether it’s blockchain-, crypto-, DeFi-, NFT- or web3-based, building a startup in the cryptoverse is no easy task — not exactly a newsflash, we know. One of the things our partners do best is provide their expertise and educational resources. They present sessions on a range of topics that help founders gain the confidence and know-how they need to move their startup forward. Keep in mind that, even as our partners dispense valuable insight from our stages, they’re always looking to engage with interesting founders and startups to explore potential partnerships and new opportunities. Let the networking begin. Take a look at some of the speakers and topics that our partners will present in Miami at TC Sessions: Crypto — and be sure to explore the full agenda. Bringing DeFi to the Masses: How Do We Make DeFi a Seamless, Easy Reality for Millions of Users Who Aren’t Crypto Experts — Currently, 72% of the world’s population has, or will soon have, access to instant payments, according to the 2022 Worldpay from FIS Global Payments Report. Many markets are also replacing or renovating their established real-time services to cater to instant payments. What does it take to onboard these users to a web3-first, DeFi world? How simple must it be, and how quickly can we get there? In this session, Zenobia Godschalk, SVP of Communications, Swirlds Labs, and Mina Khattak, Director, Crypto and Emerging Business at Worldpay from FIS, will address these questions and more from the perspective of one of the world’s largest payment firms. Sponsored by Hedera. Keeping It Legal — The legal issues associated with crypto and web3 are complex. Tech companies may need to consider balancing the ethos of the blockchain industry with protecting their revenue models and reducing regulatory risk. How are they structuring financings — with equity or tokens or both? How can they protect their IP in an open source world? What contracts do they need with customers and service partners? And what are the best ways to operate within regulatory uncertainty and an anticipated wave of enforcement actions? Attorney Amy Caiazza, Partner and Practice Group Leader, Fintech and Financial Services at Wilson Sonsini; Jonathan Chan, Corporate Counsel, Wilson Sonsini; Neel Maitra, Partner, Fintech & Financial Services, Wilson Sonsini; and Scott McKinney, Partner, Technology Transactions, Wilson Sonsini, will address these and other questions, including questions from the audience. Sponsored by Wilson Sonsini. Creating a True, User-Led Metaverse — The metaverse provides a virtual space that connects people, worlds and communities. A place where users can exchange currency and goods between themselves, not the company behind the platform. As the internet evolves, we hold the responsibility to create platforms that encompass diversity and inclusion, ownership of data, security and sustainability. As leaders in this space, how do we create an environment that allows users and creators to explore their imaginations and earning potential without limits? Chris Jones, Head of Business and Development, MetaJuice; Natalia Mazzuchelli, Strategic Partner Success Manager, ImmutableX; and Alex Mogul, Director, Republic Crypto, will address these and other challenges to building an inclusive, secure and sustainable metaverse. Sponsored by MetaJuice Don’t miss your chance to hear, connect and network with some of the leading movers and shakers bent on redefining the future of finance, blockchain and the web at TC Sessions: Crypto on November 17. Buy your pass now to nab the early-bird price and save $150. We can’t wait to see you in Miami! Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at TC Sessions: Crypto? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.

OpenSea CEO Devin Finzer discusses staying on top of a turbulent NFT market at TC Sessions: Crypto • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 31, 2022Posted in Crypto, NFT marketplace, NFTs, OpenSea, TC Sessions: Crypto 2022No Comments

The NFT market is worth tens of billions of dollars and saw rapid growth throughout the crypto bull run. NFT exchange OpenSea, led by CEO and co-founder Devin Finzer, emerged as a clear market leader, earning a $13.3B valuation in January and controlling an estimated 90% of the overall NFT market. Since then, it’s been a bumpy ride for NFTs. Trading volumes have fallen over 90% from their January peak, forcing exchanges, including OpenSea, to conduct steep layoffs. And for OpenSea specifically, competition is mounting, as newer entrants such as Magic Eden threaten its dominance and rumors of an OpenSea IPO have fizzled out. Big tech could stifle long-term growth in the space, too, as Apple’s and Google’s high marketplace fees challenge the idea that NFT trading can ever reach mobile adoption. There are plenty of challenges on the horizon, but there’s also tremendous potential for OpenSea to capture long-term growth in the NFT market if it does indeed occur. There are undeniable pockets of excitement in the space, so the question is whether that excitement will be realized and whether OpenSea is well-positioned to capture it. These are some of the topics we’ll discuss with Finzer onstage at ZebethMedia Sessions: Crypto. We’ll ask him about what use cases for NFTs he sees the most potential in and will hear about how the company plans to sustain its first-mover advantage and seize new growth opportunities through a bear market. The event takes place on November 17 in Miami. Save $150 with early bird pricing and buy your pass today, and then join the web3, DeFi and NFT communities to keep up with the ever-evolving and always exciting crypto world.

Yuga Labs’ Nicole Muniz to talk about NFTs and Bored Apes at TC Sessions: Crypto • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 27, 2022Posted in Crypto, NFT, NFT marketplace, TC Sessions: Crypto 2022, Yuga LabsNo Comments

As the NFT ecosystem continues to waver, superfans and blue-chip holders are still holding on strong. But how can the digital asset sector reignite growth and appeal to new audiences? The number of NFT sales is down almost 90% from the year-ago date, according to data on NonFungible market tracker. But still, the hype is growing across platforms like Reddit, which saw that millions of crypto wallets were created to mint NFTs or on layer-1 blockchains like Cardano, which hit new all-time highs for NFT volume. NFTs are one of the most talked about topics in crypto, which is why we’re excited to have Nicole Muniz, CEO of Yuga Labs, onstage at TC Sessions: Crypto on November 17 in Miami. Earlier this year, Yuga Labs raised $450 million in a round led by Andreessen Horowitz, hitting a $4 billion valuation. The Miami-based NFT startup is the firm behind Bored Ape Yacht Club and Mutant Ape Yacht Club and that has acquired other popular NFT projects like CryptoPunks and Meebits. It also launched ApeCoin, a token that gathered a multibillion-dollar market cap on its first day of trading that is now around $1.4 billion to date. The company wants to build something that “expands the universe” of Bored Ape Yacht Club but “invites the larger NFT community” in at the same time, ZebethMedia previously reported. With all that said, there will be plenty to talk about with Muniz, ranging from the fine-tuned details of Yuga Labs to where her thoughts are for the broader NFT ecosystem and where things stand. We’d like to hear her thoughts on the challenges and opportunities in the NFT marketplace and what areas she sees as most promising when it comes to scaling the ecosystem. Prior to Yuga Labs, Muniz founded an agency called Something New, which has worked with mega-brands like Nike, Google, EA and Square, to name a few. TC Sessions: Crypto takes place on November 17 in Miami. Save $150 with early bird pricing and buy your pass today, and then join the web3, DeFi and NFT communities to keep up with the ever-evolving and always exciting crypto world.

Crypto and earn a free pass to ZebethMedia Disrupt 2023 • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 26, 2022Posted in blockchain, Crypto, TC Sessions: Crypto, TC Sessions: Crypto 2022, TechCrunch Events 2022, volunteer, web3No Comments

It takes a lot of people to bring a tech conference to life, and we’re looking for a few amazing volunteers to support our events team and help make TC Sessions: Crypto an awesome experience for our attendees. If you’re amazing, crypto curious, a DeFi die-hard, big on blockchain, wild about web3, interested in event planning — or all of the above — apply to volunteer at TC Sessions: Crypto, which takes place on November 17 in Miami. We expect around 1,000 people at this event, and volunteers will handle a variety of tasks. At any given time, you might help with registration, wrangle speakers, direct attendees, scan tickets or help with general event setup. What’s in it for you? Fair question. If you’re selected, not only will you get a behind-the-scenes look at how events are produced, but you’ll also earn a free pass to attend ZebethMedia Disrupt 2023 next year in San Francisco on September 19–21. Plus, when you complete your volunteer shift, you can attend the interviews and presentations. You’ll hear some of the leading voices in the crypto universe, including Nicole Muniz (Yuga Labs), Amy Wu (FTX Ventures), Changpeng “CZ” Zhao (Binance) and many more. Volunteer spots are limited. If you want to gain valuable event experience; take in all the blockchain, crypto, DeFi, NFT and web3 goodness; and earn a free pass to ZebethMedia Disrupt 2023, then apply to volunteer before November 7 to be considered! Not interested in volunteering? Buy your TC Sessions Crypto pass now and save $150 — before the early-bird pricing disappears. Either way, we’ll see you on November 17 in Miami! Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at TC Sessions: Crypto? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.

Dragonfly, Haun Ventures and Sequoia talk web3 and more at TC Sessions: Crypto • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 24, 2022Posted in blockchain, Crypto, Dragonfly, Haun Ventures, Sequoia, TC Sessions: Crypto, TC Sessions: Crypto 2022, Tom SchmidtNo Comments

While the overall crypto markets have been in a rough spot lately, web3 venture capitalists have never had more conviction — or more funding at their disposal — to back startups and teams building in the space. The big question on their minds is whether tokens and startup valuations have bottomed out, or if they need to wait a bit longer to score the best possible deal. When to place your bets is a delicate balance in any tech sector, never mind one as rambunctious as crypto. That’s one reason why we’re stoked that Chris Ahn, partner at Haun Ventures; Michelle Bailhe, partner at Sequoia; and Tom Schmidt, general partner at Dragonfly will join us onstage at TC Sessions: Crypto on November 17 in Miami. We’re looking forward to hearing Ahn’s take on how the regulatory landscape is evolving in crypto, both in the U.S. and abroad, and how web3 startups can effectively navigate political and legal uncertainty. We can’t wait to hear Schmidt’s take on what it’s like to be an investor at a crypto-native VC firm as more traditional venture firms move into the space. Is Dragonfly as optimistic about the crypto market as it was last April when the VC firm closed its third venture fund to the (oversubscribed) tune of $650 million? Inquiring minds want to know. Meanwhile, Bailhe brings valuable perspective — from her standpoint as a generalist growth investor at a venture firm that made its name in web2 — on how the web3 space is developing relative to the broader tech ecosystem. We’ll be sure to ask all three panelists how their firms are navigating the competitive dynamics between crypto-native investors and tech VCs with broader mandates for the best web3 deal flow. Chris Ahn, a partner at Haun Ventures, leads investments at both early and acceleration stages. Previously, Ahn was a partner at Index Ventures and led the firm’s crypto efforts, including investments in Fireblocks and Bridge. Prior to joining Index, Ahn helped build and lead the strategic finance and business operations teams at GitHub, and he led the acquisition with Microsoft. Ahn also spent time at Hellman & Friedman and started his career at Morgan Stanley. Michelle Bailhe, a partner at Sequoia, focuses on crypto, software and internet investments. She is involved with Sequoia’s investments in FTX, LayerZero, Fireblocks, Pilot and more. Prior to Sequoia, Bailhe worked at Hellman & Friedman, Google and McKinsey. Prior to joining Dragonfly as general partner, Tom Schmidt led product at 0x, and he worked as a product manager at Facebook and Instagram. Schmidt holds a degree in computer science from Stanford. Take advantage of early-bird pricing. Buy your pass today, and you’ll save $150. Then get ready to join the web3, DeFi and NFT communities at TC Sessions: Crypto on November 17 in Miami.

Alchemy, Ava Labs and BlockFi break down funding in a bear market at TC Sessions: Crypto • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 21, 2022Posted in Alchemy, BlockFi, Crypto, crypto markets, cryptocurrencies, Fintech, Flori Marquez, Nikil Viswanathan, TC Sessions: Crypto 2022No Comments

Bears hibernate during the coldest months, but there’s nowhere to hide from a bear market during a crypto winter. As the entire sector faces what looks to be a long stretch of uncertainty, young founders must find a way to keep the funds flowing. But how? This timely topic is why we’re thrilled that industry veterans Flori Marquez, founder and COO at BlockFi; Nikil Viswanathan, co-founder and CEO at Alchemy; and John Wu, president of Ava Labs, will join us onstage for a panel discussion called “Fundraising in Crypto Winter” at TC Sessions: Crypto on November 17 in Miami. If anyone understands the highs, lows and overall volatility of the crypto market, it’s the three people on this panel. Marquez’s BlockFi recently signed a deal giving FTX US the option to buy the crypto lender she founded. Viswanathan’s Alchemy, one of the fastest-growing companies in technology history, raised a $200 million Series C1 last February, giving the web3 developer infrastructure startup a valuation just north of $10 billion. Meanwhile, Wu’s Ava Labs is reportedly raising a $350 million funding round and looking at a potential valuation of slightly more than $5 billion. It’s a wild season for bulls and bears alike. We’re curious to hear the panel’s take on how fundraising, cap tables and valuations have shifted given the market conditions — and whether startups will see recovery within the near term. We’ll also ask these founders what they’re focused on when it comes to investing in crypto startups or projects, and which subsectors have the most opportunity for growth in a bear market. Learning how these three operators built and scaled their own startups through previous turbulent cycles in the crypto markets will be informative. Both Marquez and Wu entered crypto with traditional finance backgrounds while Viswanathan comes from Big Tech. Hearing how fundraising in the crypto space differs from those worlds — and how it has evolved from prior bear markets — will also be a worthwhile perspective. Don’t miss what’s sure to be a fascinating and valuable discussion. Flori Marquez, BlockFi founder and COO, oversees the company’s operations, client service, people, engineering and retail product teams. Since founding the company with Zac Prince in 2017, Marquez has built and managed critical functions, including the trading, risk, compliance and marketing teams. Marquez has spent her career managing alternative lending products. She served as head of portfolio management — and helped build, scale and optimize a $125 million portfolio — at Bond Street (acquired by Goldman Sachs). She managed all operations from point of origination through default and litigation. Prior to Bond Street, Marquez helped develop and maintain institutional partnerships at Oak Hill Advisors, a $30 billion fixed-income asset manager. Nikil Viswanathan is the co-founder and CEO of Alchemy, a leading blockchain developer platform valued at more than $10 billion. The company is backed by top investors, including Coatue, a16z, Lightspeed, Silver Lake, Pantera and many more. Viswanathan received his BS and MS in computer science from Stanford, and formerly worked in product management at Google, Microsoft and Facebook. A serial entrepreneur, Viswanathan co-created the social app Down To Lunch, and he was listed on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list. As president of Ava Labs, John Wu aims to open up financial services and products for everyone. He brings more than 20 years of expertise as a fintech executive and technology investor to creating a blockchain-enabled solution for originating, issuing and trading financial assets. Previously, Wu built and led the digital assets business at SharesPost, where he served as CEO of the Digital Assets Group. Prior to that, he was a technology investor and the founder of Sureview Capital, a global hedge fund backed by the Blackstone Group. Wu began his investment career at Tiger Management before managing a global technology portfolio at Kingdon Capital. He received his MBA from Harvard University and holds a BS in economics from Cornell University. TC Sessions: Crypto takes place on November 17 in Miami. Take advantage of our Early Bird pricing and save $150. Buy your pass today, and then join the leading voices and visionaries in the blockchain, DeFi, NFT and web3 communities. Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at TC Sessions: Crypto? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.

Meet these five emerging startups at TC Sessions: Crypto • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 13, 2022Posted in Crypto, Startups, TC Sessions: Crypto, TC Sessions: Crypto 2022No Comments

Whether it’s seasoned industry behemoths or fresh, fearless upstarts ready to challenge the status quo, you’ll find them — and everything in between — at TC Sessions: Crypto on November 17 in Miami. Pay to play: It’s early-bird season, folks, so buy your pass today and save $150 — before prices go up. Take a deep dive through the awesome agenda to plan your day, but be sure to save time to meet and greet the early-stage startups exhibiting on the show floor. These founders represent the next iteration of products and possibilities across the blockchain, cryptocurrency, DeFi, NFT and web3 ecosystem. Check out the five listed below, and learn more about the other exhibitors here. Gall3ry 3: A way for NFT owners to show off their collection on social media. The app auto-generates exciting visual assets with an NFT’s blockchain data, helping the web3 community create posts that are more engaging, credible and informative. MassPay: A worldwide fiat off-ramp for crypto. Personal Digital Spaces: PDS has designed and built a proven (v3.5) Property Rights Protocol used by real applications by enterprises to solve real-world problems to manage/monetize valuable data and IP. Our experienced team steered clear of the hype cycle and focused on delivering market infrastructure for IP, much like FTX does for crypto. Pressrisk: A blockchain solution to promote geographic decentralization of nodes, with applications in fintech and media distribution. Recur: Makes NFTs accessible for fans and brands with seamless, easy-to-use, secure, interoperable experiences. Our partners include Paramount and Sanrio. Don’t miss your chance to meet, connect and network with some of the most creative early-stage startups bent on redefining the future of finance, blockchain and the web at TC Sessions: Crypto on November 17. Buy your pass now to nab the early-bird price and save. We can’t wait to see you in Miami! Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at TC Sessions: Crypto? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.

Last day to save hundreds on TC Sessions: Crypto passes • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 12, 2022Posted in blockchain, Crypto, Fintech, TC Sessions: Crypto, TC Sessions: Crypto 2022, TechCrunch Events 2022, web3No Comments

We warned you this day would come. You have less than 24 hours left to save $250 on a General Admission pass to TC Sessions: Crypto — taking place in Miami on November 17. Our special launch pricing expires tonight at 11:59 pm PDT, so buy yours now — your wallet will thank you. Now that you’re registered, get ready to go mining for opportunities across the blockchain, cryptocurrency, DeFi, NFT and web3 ecosystem. You’ll hear from industry giants like Binance’s Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, FTX Ventures’ Amy Wu, Alchemy’s Nikil Viswanathan and many more. Here’s a quick look at just some of the day’s hot topics — be sure to check out the agenda so you don’t miss what matters most in your corner of the cryptoverse. Keeping the Web3 Dream Funded: Billions in capital were raised by crypto native funds and web3 VCs during an unprecedented bull run, but as the crypto markets turn bearish, how will investors keep their web3 dreams alive? We talk to Chris Ahn (Partner, Haun Ventures), Michelle Bailhe Fradin (Partner, Sequoia Capital) and Tom Schmidt (General Partner, Dragonfly) about which potential bets are too early, too late and right on time. A Non-Fungible Empire: Few in the crypto space saw the explosive adoption of NFTs happening this quickly, but NFT marketplace startup OpenSea, founded back in 2017, was waiting in the wings. Fast forward to the present day, and there have been tens of billions of dollars in NFT transaction volume with OpenSea handling the lion’s share of those sales. We’re thrilled that OpenSea CEO, Devin Finzer will join us on stage. So far, he’s fended off marketplace competitors from well-funded public behemoths and upstart threats, but can his $13.3 billion startup hold its lead through a bear market? Securing Web3: As blockchain boosters continue to onboard swaths of consumers to their vision of the crypto web, a central question has been how to optimize the underlying tech to keep these new users safe. We’ll talk to a panel of experts with expertise in blockchains, decentralized apps and protocols including Kathleen Breitman (co-founder, Tezos) and Pascal Gauthier (chairman and CEO, Ledger) on how web3 technologists can build a more secure environment. Plus, don’t miss your chance to meet and network with more than a dozen up-and-coming startups exhibiting at the show. Today’s casual conversation could lead to tomorrow’s next big deal. TC Sessions: Crypto takes place on November 17 in Miami, but the tides and time wait for no one. Jump on board and buy your pass before the launch special ends tonight at 11:59 p.m. (PDT). Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at TC Sessions: Crypto? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.