The Policy Layer

Welcome to another insightful episode of the Owl Explains podcast! Russel Klein, our moderator for the day, takes you along as he and the speakers dive into a topic that's reshaping the landscape of modern finance: Central Bank Digital Currencies, or CBDCs. As the world hurtles toward a more digital future, governments and central banks are actively exploring the possibilities and implications of introducing their own digital currencies. In this episode, we're peeling back the layers of CBDCs to understand what they are, why they matter, and how they might revolutionize the way we transact, save, and invest. Join Mai Santamaria of the Department of Finance in Ireland, Jannah Patchay of the Digital Pound Foundation, and Varun Paul of Fireblocks as they dive into what the future of CDBCs hold, the risks they pose, the solutions they suggest, and the very necessity (or not) of digital money. So, grab your favorite headphones and prepare to embark on a journey into the heart of digital finance. Let's demystify the world of CBDCs and gain valuable insights into how they're set to transform the way we perceive, use, and interact with money. 

Join us as we explore the basics of Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) and how they work compared to traditional organizations. Our guests discuss the regulatory landscape, balancing decentralization with leadership, and the challenges DAOs face from a legal perspective. From liability concerns to the concept of a 'killswitch,' we'll uncover the intricate dynamics of DAO governance. Join Eugenio Reggianini, Joni Pirovich, John Yarwood, and Steve Wink as they unravel the complexities of DAOs and share insights into the future of effective regulation. Joni dives into the regulatory waters, probing the sentiment surrounding the current regulatory landscape for DAOs. How do these innovative entities navigate the evolving legal environment, and what implications does this hold for their future growth and adoption? The pendulum of decentralization swings wide, and we delve into its transformative arc with insights from our panel. From the European perspective, Eugenio weighs in on the significance of community identity within DAOs and its impact on governance dynamics.Legal challenges loom on the horizon, and Steve navigates us through the complex web of legal concerns that DAOs grapple with. He unpacks the liability issue and provides a glimpse into how these challenges might be met head-on. But what about the infamous 'killswitch' concept? John leads us through a thought-provoking discussion on implementing market halts during times of distress. Is it time to hit the brakes, or should we lay more groundwork before pursuing this ambitious goal?

"Stop the hype, focus on the solution". In this episode we explore the ultimate myth-busting use case developed by Deloitte to accelerate disaster relief. The project is called "Close as you go". It is built on an Avalanche subnet, yet its token, its use of smart contracts and its decentralised blockchain architecture is entirely invisible to the user. Deloitte has harnessed blockchain not for its own sake but to drive efficiency in the complex paper trail needed to prove eligibility for disaster relief.

Blockchain still faces a number of different technology bottlenecks that are related to the complexity of its underlying infrastructure, its scalability, and the speed of its consensus mechanisms. Subnets are part of Ava Labs’ innovative approach to solve these issues. By taking a blockchain and splitting it into multiple parallel blockchains that operate at the same time and within the same ecosystem, subnets make it possible for anyone to create their own blockchain, tweak it to whatever project, and have it comply with possible any regulatory framework. Our wise owl Sylvia Sanchez, Product Manager at Owl Explains, talks with Connor Daly, Software Engineer at Ava Labs – also known as the man with the most cats in crypto – about the advantages of subnets, how easy and quick it can be to start one, and how they ultimately contribute to increasing further adoption and spurring further innovation. Plus, Connor gives us a glimpse into his pet feeding routines and his plans for enlarging the extended family to more foster animals.

Olta Andoni (General Counsel at Enclave Markets) spoke with Donna Redel (professor of blockchain and digital assets at Wharton) and Thibault Schrepel (professor of law at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) on the growing interest from students in US and in Europe on Web3 technologies, and on how universities have been weaving new courses into their curricula. Our wise owls also discussed how furthering education can unlock new job opportunities within the industry, and help policymakers from both sides of the Atlantic work together to develop global, comprehensive regulatory framework for crypto.

Join us as Lee Schneider, chief Owl and General Counsel of Ava Labs, introduces the Tree of Wisdom - 5 branches to guide policymakers thinking about how to regulate blockchain and web3. Read more about the Tree of Wisdom here. The session will be moderated by Emma Pike of H+K Strategies.