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Since becoming Biden's nominee to be the next Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions at Treasury, there's been speculation regarding CFTC Commissioner Kristin N. Johnson's future policy approach. A recent speech signals potential focus on AI and DeFi. It is expected that she will continue to prioritize inclusion.

Congressman Don Davis (NC-01) co-sponsored a blockchain amendment that was added to the House FY25 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Amendment 1012 is intended to prevent the DoD from entering into contracts for any equipment, system, or service that employs specific blockchain equipment or technology from or originating in a foreign adversary.

Policy Over Politics

There’s space in crypto for everyone, regardless of political affiliation. That’s what decentralization enables. My work on inclusion is a testament to this. I’ve received support from Senator Booker to Senator Lummis, and from U.S. Rep. Soto to US. Rep. Davidson. Not because of political ideology, but out of a desire to grow the ecosystem. I dread the day when this type of collaboration will be impossible.

Loud partisan voices do not speak for “the industry,” a sector that belongs to everyone and no one simultaneously. 

Partisan posturing has consequences. Priorizing politics over policy can cause harm that will leave deep wounds and scars. This is a lose-lose scenario.

Web3 and DeFi is young and diverse and the next generation of innovator understand that the future of money and commerce does not belong to any one political party.

Scams Keep Haunting Crypto Market, Aided by AI and Social Media. Industry watchers see crypto misinformation ‘almost on a daily basis’

It’s not just fake headshots and misleading websites: Apparent fraudsters have attempted to feign legitimacy with false press releases about venture-capital fundraises and bogus claims about partnerships with industry giants. In some cases, the false information has leaked into trusted industry data sources.

[Continue in Bloomberg]

A federal judge has put a temporary ban on “pharma bro” Martin Shkreli from streaming or disseminating copies of a one-of-a-kind Wu-Tang Clan album that he purchased for $2 million in 2015. The ban, reported by CNBC, came just a day after PleasrDAO, the company that bought the album from Shkreli for $4.75 million, filed a civil suit against him in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, New York for allegedly holding on to copies of Wu-Tang Clan's “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin.” The suit claimed that Shkreli had played the album on the internet as recently as Sunday and that his conduct violated forfeiture. - Source: Variety

Photo: New Yorker 2014. Illustration by Stanley Chow 

WilmerHale's Tiffany J. Smith was recently recognized by the Legal 500 as a Next Generation Lawyer.

Débora Carrizo just became an ambassador for Wondertech Latam.

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butterscotch is a digital news studio broadcasting stories about Black, Latino, Indigenous DeFi retail investors, Web3 consumers, founders, executives, officials. The virtual newsroom - featuring eNews, Podcast, Live Events – seeks to deepen mainstream understanding of diverse segments of the emerging $ trillion crypto industry.

Cleve Mesidor, CEO & Managing Editor

Ashlynn Mesidor, CTO