By Uchenna Ekwo
At an interactive session held yesterday with the New York Foreign Press Corps, the leadership team of the Wall Street Blockchain Alliance (WSBA)—a nonprofit trade association—provided a comprehensive review of the rapidly evolving crypto industry and the role of digital asset policy in shaping the future of global finance.
The briefing, hosted at the elegant offices of Crowell & Moring LLP on the 44th floor of Two Manhattan West, 375 9th Avenue, attracted a captive audience of foreign journalists. Discussions centered on the shifting landscape of U.S. cryptocurrency regulation and compliance, with particular attention to recent legislative developments such as the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act.
Led by Ron Quaranta, Chairman and CEO of WSBA; Joshua Ashley Klayman, U.S. Head of FinTech and Head of Blockchain & Digital Assets at Linklaters; and Carlton Greene, Partner at Crowell & Moring LLP, the panel addressed a wide range of questions. Topics included regulatory and legislative imperatives, crypto policy in Africa, the media’s role in financial literacy, emerging global frameworks, and concerns about potential conflicts of interest—particularly regarding the Trump family’s investments in crypto while the administration supports regulation and compliance.
Responding to a question, Ms. Klayman noted the improved perception of the crypto industry, highlighting its evolution from skepticism to mainstream recognition. She cited the historic appointment of David Sacks as the White House AI and Crypto Czar under the Trump administration as a significant milestone.
Both Quaranta and Greene emphasized crypto’s potential as a hedge against inflation, while expressing concern over the banking sector’s reluctance to fully embrace digital assets and the broader challenge of innovation adoption in modern societies.
Additional themes explored during the session included national security implications, U.S.-China geopolitical rivalry, the digital divide affecting the Global South as a possible barrier, and the potential for crypto to contribute to the de-dollarization of the global economy.
