Blockchain Leaders Insights

In this episode of the Blockchain Leaders Insights series, Paul Hearns sits down with Louise McNabola, a partner in the Financial Regulation Unit at William Fry, to explore the fast-changing world of financial and crypto regulation. As the European Union introduces the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR), businesses are facing a new set of challenges—and opportunities—when it comes to securing authorisation to operate in the EU. Louise shares her invaluable expertise on navigating this evolving landscape, focusing on the transition from Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) registration to Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) authorisation.Louise walks us through why Ireland has become a leading destination for authorisation, thanks to its robust regulatory framework, skilled talent pool, and reputation for credibility. She explains how firms can leverage Ireland’s strengths while preparing for the rigorous demands of the Central Bank of Ireland. From early engagement with the regulator to building a strong governance structure, Louise provides clear, actionable steps to help businesses succeed.We delve into the common pitfalls firms encounter, such as rushing the application process or making changes to business plans midway, and Louise highlights how proper preparation can make all the difference. She also sheds light on the importance of appointing key personnel early on, ensuring that the "hearts and minds" of the business are firmly rooted in Ireland to meet regulatory expectations.With deadlines approaching and significant changes like the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) on the horizon, this episode offers practical advice for navigating the complexities of the regulatory process while planning for the future. Louise’s insights are invaluable for anyone operating in the crypto space or considering Ireland as their base for EU operations.Whether you’re a seasoned player in the blockchain industry or just starting out, this episode is your go-to guide for understanding the Irish authorisation process and the opportunities it unlocks. Tune in to gain clarity, avoid common mistakes, and set your business up for long-term success in the EU’s thriving digital asset landscape._______________Available on the Blockchain Ireland website: https://www.blockchainireland.ie/podcasts/_______________Host: Paul Hearns - Co-chair of the Events and Comms Working Grouphttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lory-kehoe/ Guest: Louise McNabola - Partner, William Fryhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-mcnabola-2a10875a/https://www.williamfry.com/https://www.linkedin.com/company/william-fry/_______________About Blockchain IrelandBlockchain Ireland is an initiative aimed at promoting and enhancing Ireland's position as a global hub for blockchain technology. It was launched by the Irish Blockchain Expert Group (IBEG), led by IDA Ireland, and includes a collaboration of Irish-based organisations.The main goals of Blockchain Ireland are to serve as a central source of information on the growing blockchain, crypto and Web3 ecosystem, to support the development of blockchain technology in Ireland, and to create awareness of industry developments both nationally and internationally.Follow us:https://www.blockchainireland.ie/https://www.linkedin.com/company/blockchain-irelandhttps://twitter.com/blockchainireland/https://instagram.com/blockchainireland/https://tiktok.com/@blockchainireland/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Blockchain Leaders Insights, host Paul Hearns speaks with Amor Sexton, COO of Blockdaemon, about her fascinating journey through the blockchain world—from the early days of Bitcoin to its current role in driving institutional adoption, tokenisation, and decentralization.Amor’s blockchain journey began in 2013 when she worked as a lawyer in Australia. Back then, Bitcoin was worth just $100, and blockchain was a mystery to most. What intrigued her were the legal challenges it posed: could Bitcoin be recognized as property? How should it be taxed? These early encounters sparked her interest and set her on a path to becoming one of the most prominent voices in the blockchain space.Today, as COO of Blockdaemon, Amor helps institutions integrate blockchain with tools like APIs, staking validators, and wallet infrastructure. Her work at Blockdaemon builds on her experience at Citibank, where she led blockchain strategy and spearheaded projects like connecting Citi’s banking system to NASDAQ’s private blockchain to enable instant settlements. These projects highlight blockchain’s potential to bridge the gap between traditional systems and cutting-edge technology.Regulation, Amor explains, is not the barrier many perceive it to be. Instead, it’s the lack of clarity around regulation that creates challenges for adoption. With policymakers increasingly collaborating with industry leaders, businesses are beginning to gain the certainty they need to innovate. Some jurisdictions, like Switzerland, are setting an example by employing technologists to help shape informed and thoughtful regulatory frameworks.Amor also dives into tokenisation, one of blockchain’s most exciting applications. Beyond digitising assets like real estate, she envisions a future where entirely new types of assets, such as tokenised legal agreements, become possible. This, combined with a renewed focus on decentralisation after events like FTX, could reshape industries in ways we’ve only begun to imagine.Amor outlines the challenges of scaling Web3 and emphasises the need to adapt lessons from Web2, such as security and operational standards, to ensure its success.Finally, Amor highlights Ireland’s emerging role as a hub for blockchain talent and innovation. With its strong mix of financial services expertise and engineering talent, Nurturing talent pipelines and fostering collaboration between industry and academia will be key to sustaining this momentum._______________Available on the Blockchain Ireland website: https://www.blockchainireland.ie/podcast_______________Host: Paul Hearns - Co-chair of the Events and Comms Working Grouphttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lory-kehoe/ Guest: Amor Sexton - COO, Blockdaemonhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/amor-sexton/_______________About Blockchain IrelandBlockchain Ireland is an initiative aimed at promoting and enhancing Ireland's position as a global hub for blockchain technology. It was launched by the Irish Blockchain Expert Group (IBEG), led by IDA Ireland, and includes a collaboration of Irish-based organizations. The main goals of Blockchain Ireland are to serve as a central source of information on the growing blockchain, crypto and Web3 ecosystem, to support the development of blockchain technology in Ireland, and to create awareness of industry developments both nationally and internationally.Follow us:https://www.blockchainireland.ie/https://www.linkedin.com/company/blockchain-irelandhttps://twitter.com/blockchainireland/https://instagram.com/blockchainireland/https://tiktok.com/@blockchainireland/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this final episode of the series, "Blockchain Leaders Insights," we navigate the complex and thrilling waters of the blockchain and Web3 industry, with a particular lens on Ireland's pivotal role in this global phenomenon. I am your host, Lory Kehoe, the chair of Blockchain Ireland, and I am joined by my esteemed co-host, Alejandro Gutierrez, co-chair of the Start-ups Working Group at Blockchain Ireland.As the blockchain sphere burgeons, Ireland stands at a crossroads of tradition and innovation. With a storied past in financial services and a burgeoning reputation in the tech sector, the nation is poised to be a central node in the blockchain revolution. To unravel the layers of this complex tapestry, we have the privilege of engaging with a luminary of the crypto world, Karl Long, the General Manager for Europe of Binance in Ireland.Karl brings a wealth of experience from a 25-year tenure in traditional financial services, working with behemoths such as State Street and Deutsche Bank, and has made the leap into the vanguard of the crypto movement with Binance. His insights bridge the gap between the old guard of finance and the new world of virtual assets, providing a unique perspective on the transformative power of blockchain technology.This episode promises to shed light on how global players like Binance are shaping Ireland's crypto landscape and contributing to the global dialogue on blockchain and Web3. We will explore the synergies and tensions between traditional financial systems and disruptive crypto technologies, the regulatory currents shaping the industry, and the strategic moves being made by Binance to navigate these waters.As we delve into these topics, we invite you to join us on this exploratory journey through the intricate network of crypto and blockchain. Whether you're a seasoned investor, a curious onlooker, or a sceptic of digital currencies, this conversation aims to educate, inform, and perhaps even challenge your perceptions of what the future of finance may hold.So, without further ado, let’s embark on this enlightening conversation with Karl Long and uncover the facets of a world where digital assets and traditional finance converge._______________About Blockchain IrelandBlockchain Ireland is an initiative aimed at promoting and enhancing Ireland's position as a global hub for blockchain technology. It was launched by the Irish Blockchain Expert Group (IBEG), led by IDA Ireland, and includes a collaboration of Irish-based organisations.The main goals of Blockchain Ireland are to serve as a central source of information on the growing blockchain, crypto and Web3 ecosystem, to support the development of blockchain technology in Ireland, and to create awareness of industry developments both nationally and internationally.Follow us:https://www.blockchainireland.ie/https://www.linkedin.com/company/blockchain-irelandhttps://twitter.com/blockchainireland/https://instagram.com/blockchainireland/https://tiktok.com/@blockchainireland/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Blockchain Leaders Insights, we discussed the fundamentals of blockchain technology and its impact on finance with Professor Donal O'Mahony, from Trinity College Dublin and Dr. Trevor Cloghessy from Atlantic Technological University.Donal explained decentralizing ledgers, while Trevor covered Bitcoin's origins and Web3's decentralized internet applications. Smart contracts and DeFi were explored, along with NFTs' diverse applications, tokenizing assets, layer protocols, stablecoins, and future trends like decentralized AI and DAOs.The conversation highlighted the transformative potential of blockchain technology in various sectors and encouraged staying informed about emerging trends in the field._______________Available on the Blockchain Ireland website: https://www.blockchainireland.ie/podcast/blockchain-fundamentals/_______________Host: Lory Kehoe - Chair of Blockchain Irelandhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lory-kehoe/ Guest: Prof. Donal O'Mahony, Trinity College Dublinhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/prof-donal-o-mahony-425538/https://www.tcd.ie/https://www.linkedin.com/school/trinity-college-dublin/ Guest: Dr. Trevor Clohessy, Atlantic Technological Universityhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/treabhairc/https://www.atu.ie/https://www.linkedin.com/school/atlantic-technological-university/_______________About Blockchain IrelandBlockchain Ireland is an initiative aimed at promoting and enhancing Ireland's position as a global hub for blockchain technology. It was launched by the Irish Blockchain Expert Group (IBEG), led by IDA Ireland, and includes a collaboration of Irish-based organisations.The main goals of Blockchain Ireland are to serve as a central source of information on the growing blockchain, crypto and Web3 ecosystem, to support the development of blockchain technology in Ireland, and to create awareness of industry developments both nationally and internationally.Follow us:https://www.blockchainireland.ie/https://www.linkedin.com/company/blockchain-irelandhttps://twitter.com/blockchainireland/https://instagram.com/blockchainireland/https://tiktok.com/@blockchainireland/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.