Conference 

# Cryptocurrency: The Policy Challenges of a Decentralized Revolution 

Date and Time 

April 12, 2016 9 AM - 5 PM EDT 

Location 

Hayek Auditorium 

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##### Featuring 

[![George Selgin](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2021-01/George%20Selgin.jpg?itok=daUqyD5g)](/people/george-selgin) 

[George Selgin](/people/george-selgin)

Former Senior Fellow and Director Emeritus, Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives, Cato Institute

[ 

](https://x.com/GeorgeSelgin) [ 

](mailto:gselgin@cato.org) 

[![Media Name: harper.jpg](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/authors/crops/harper.jpg?itok=I_0322Oq)](/people/jim-harper) 

[Jim Harper](/people/jim-harper)

Nonresident Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute

[ 

](https://twitter.com/Jim_Harper) [ 

](mailto:jharper@cato.org) 

[![Crypto Currency](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/optimized/public/images/cryptocurrency-450x427.jpg?itok=zWy6vXlw)](/sites/cato.org/files/images/cryptocurrency-450x427.jpg) 

Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies, like Bitcoin, are revolutionizing the way we think about government currency monopolies, transferring money across the globe, maintaining financial privacy and security, and verifying ownership of money or potentially everything. Their place in society and the financial system is rapidly expanding and with it a host of hopes, questions, and risks. Will they provide financial security outside of government systems, or will consumers be unprotected from losses? Will they ensure financial privacy or enable criminal activity? Will they replace central banking or serve as a new tool for monetary management? And will government regulations encourage, discourage, or remain neutral to these emerging and transformative technologies? Join us for a day-long conference considering the policy implications of the decentralized cryptocurrency revolution. **Schedule**

| **8:30 – 9:00AM** | **REGISTRATION** |
|:--|:--|
| **9:00 – 9:10AM** | **WELCOME** **George Selgin**, Director, Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives, Cato Institute |
| **9:10 – 9:30AM** | **CRYPTOCURRENCY & PUBLIC POLICY: WHERE THINGS STAND** **Jerry Brito**, Executive Director, Coin Center [Download a video of the Welcome and Cryptocurrency & Public Policy](http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp4/cdn.cato.org/archive-2016/cc-04-12-16-01.mp4) [Download a podcast of the Welcome and Cryptocurrency & Public Policy](http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/cdn.cato.org/archive-2016/cca-04-12-16-01.mp3) |
| **9:30 – 10:30AM** | **PANEL I — THE CONSUMER PROTECTION CHALLENGE** **Margaret Liu**, Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Conference of State Bank Supervisors **Marco A. Santori**, Partner, Pillsbury Winthrop and Global Policy Counsel, Blockchain **Melanie Shapiro**, PhD, CEO, Case **Dana Syracuse**, Counsel, BuckleySandler, LLP, and former Associate General Counsel, New York Department of Financial Services Moderated by **Peter Van Valkenburgh**, Director of Research, Coin Center [Download a video of Panel I](http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp4/cdn.cato.org/archive-2016/cc-04-12-16-02.mp4) [Download a podcast of Panel I](http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/cdn.cato.org/archive-2016/cca-04-12-16-02.mp3) |
| **10:30 – 10:50AM** | **BREAK** |
| **10:50 – 11:30AM** | **KEYNOTE ADDRESS** **Commissioner J. Christopher Giancarlo**, U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission [Download a video of Keynote Address](http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp4/cdn.cato.org/archive-2016/cc-04-12-16-03.mp4) [Download a podcast of Keynote Address](http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/cdn.cato.org/archive-2016/cca-04-12-16-03.mp3) |
| **11:30AM – 12:30PM** | **PANEL II — THE FINANCIAL SERVICES CHALLENGE: PERMISSIONED AND PERMISSIONLESS BLOCKCHAINS** **Paul L. Chou**, CEO, LedgerX **Jacob Farber**, General Counsel, R3CEV **Joseph Lubin**, Founder, ConsenSys and Co-founder, Ethereum Project **Ryan Zagone**, Director, Regulatory Relations, Ripple Moderated by **Marc Hochstein**, Editor in Chief, *American Banker* [Download a video of Panel II](http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp4/cdn.cato.org/archive-2016/cc-04-12-16-04.mp4) [Download a podcast of Panel II](http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/cdn.cato.org/archive-2016/cca-04-12-16-04.mp3) |
| **12:30 – 1:20PM** | **LUNCH** |
| **1:20 – 2:00PM** | **LUNCHEON ADDRESS** **Patrick Byrne**, Founder and CEO, Overstock.com and Founder, tØ [Download a video of the Luncheon Address](http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp4/cdn.cato.org/archive-2016/cc-04-12-16-05.mp4) [Download a podcast of the Luncheon Address](http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/cdn.cato.org/archive-2016/cca-04-12-16-05.mp3) |
| **2:00 – 3:00PM** | **PANEL III — THE MONETARY CHALLENGE** **Perianne M. Boring**, Founder and President, Chamber of Digital Commerce **Eli Dourado**, Research Fellow and Director, Technology Policy Program, Mercatus Center at George Mason University **William J. Luther**, Assistant Professor of Economics, Kenyon College and Adjunct Scholar, Cato Institute Moderated by **George Selgin**, Director, Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives, Cato Institute [Download a video of Panel III](http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp4/cdn.cato.org/archive-2016/cc-04-12-16-06.mp4) [Download a podcast of Panel III](http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/cdn.cato.org/archive-2016/cca-04-12-16-06.mp3) |
| **3:00 – 3:20PM** | **BREAK** |
| **3:20 – 4:20PM** | **PANEL IV — THE 4TH AMENDMENT CHALLENGE: FINANCIAL PRIVACY & FREEDOM OF SPEECH** **Andrea Castillo**, Program Manager, Technology Policy Program, Mercatus Center at George Mason University **Jim Harper**, Senior Fellow, Cato Institute **Eric Lorber**, Senior Associate, Financial Integrity Network **Zooko Wilcox-O’Hearn**, Founder and CEO, Zcash Moderated by **Jerry Brito**, Executive Director, Coin Center [Download a video of Panel IV](http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp4/cdn.cato.org/archive-2016/cc-04-12-16-07.mp4) [Download a podcast of Panel IV](http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/cdn.cato.org/archive-2016/cca-04-12-16-07.mp3) |
| **4:20 – 5:00PM** | **CLOSING ADDRESS** **Hon. Mick Mulvaney**, Vice Chairman, Subcommittee on Monetary Policy and Trade, U.S. House of Representatives [Download a video of the Closing Address](http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp4/cdn.cato.org/archive-2016/cc-04-12-16-08.mp4) [Download a podcast of the Closing Address](http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/cdn.cato.org/archive-2016/cca-04-12-16-08.mp3) |
| **5:00 – 6:00PM** | **RECEPTION** |

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