Memecoins, regulation, and the new era of web3
Memecoins, regulation, and the new era of web3 raising: What else could memecoins be?
For years, crypto has been a battleground of innovation, scams, and regulatory confusion. ICOs, NFTs, and DeFi all promised new frontiers but often fell prey to opportunists. Meanwhile, U.S.-based founders have been stuck in limbo, held back by uncertain rules. Now, we have a rare window of opportunity—a legally greenlit crypto use case.
Memecoins started as jokes, evolved into speculative assets, and now—thanks to the SEC—they’ve been declared collectibles. That means they’re one of the only forms of crypto that’s officially not a security. So… what can we do with that?
Likewise, web3 regulation still remains murky under the new political regiem. What does it mean to be a web3 group in the USA? What are the different avenues to projects
Join us on 3/12 for networking, food, and a panel discussing these topics!
Thanks to our hosts!
@reserveprotocol
@ManifestAIs
@_bitchcoin
@VaraNetwork
@thehouseofweb3
@CryptoMondaySF
Panelists:
Thomas is the CEO of ABC Labs (Reserve.org) which builds products and protocols in the mission of fighting inflation and expanding access to better financial products around the world. He first got into crypto in 2014 and was hooked ever since.
Tove Andersson is a leading crypto figure and entrepreneur from Sweden, recently debating the nation’s top economist on live TV. As the creator of Bitchcoin.wtf, she challenges the financial system’s status quo, using satire, storytelling, and memetics to champion decentralization and financial equality. In 2017, she founded KryptoGäris, Scandinavia’s largest women-in-crypto network. A global speaker on female empowerment, crypto, and decentralization, she has taken the stage at SXSW, the United Nations, ETH Denver, and Sweden’s top publications.Tove’s mission is to ensure tech serves people—not corporations or governments.
Irina Marinescu is the Founder Acceleration Lead at Tachyon, the Consensys accelerator, and is the co-founder and CEO of buidlbox, a global web3 developer engagement portal. She was previously the General Counsel at Gitcoin, designed and delivered courses at Cornell Tech on DeFi and cryptocurrencies, and spent time at the SEC, World Bank, and Wall Street firms. As a founding member of Women in Cryptocurrency and mentor at Tachyon, Irina is a founder advocate at heart, championing builders at all stages of their journey. Her "people before protocols" approach focuses on creating pathways for builders to secure mentorship, funding, and community support – believing that founder-led compelling use cases will accelerate onramps to web3.
Lisa Rubin is an attorney in the Global Fintech & Payments practice at Paul Hastings, based in the firm’s San Francisco office. She specializes in regulatory issues pertinent to financial technology, including blockchain-based products and services, offering in-depth advisement on the landscape of federal securities laws and digital assets. Her counsel extends to emerging payments technologies, including tokenization and U.S. dollar-backed stablecoins, where she frequently interacts with state and federal regulators. Lisa holds a J.D. from USC Gould School of Law and a B.A. from UCLA.
Professor Charles Belle is the Filecoin Foundation for the Decentralized Web Teaching Fellow and is part of the USF’s Blockchain Law Center for Social Good. He teaches Decentralized Finance Law. His research includes exploring how to issue blockchain municipal bonds and how IP licenses are used to manage decentralized governance. His work bridges law, tech, and fintech. When not diving into legal frameworks, he’s a member of various DAOs.
Sponsors:
Reserve:
The Reserve Index Protocol offers a first-of-its-kind, build-your-own ETF-like experience in crypto. Get broad crypto exposure and buy into specific narratives with a single click. Like ETFs do in TradFi, but in a decentralized way. Every Index DTF is backed 1:1, onchain with transparent custody, and fully redeemable 24/7 for underlying assets.