Global crypto rules are changing fast, and 2025 is a turning point. We are joined by Elise Soucie Watts (Executive Director at Global Digital Finance), who discusses the big moves: MiCA in Europe, U.S. legislation, Asia’s innovation wave, and so much more.

Check out the GDF’s report here:

https://www.gdf.io/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/23.7.25_GDFDACxTokenizationReport_FINAL.pdf

Ep 53: TLDR Global Crypto Policy in 2025 (from MiCA to Abu Dhabi and beyond).

Michael Mainelli, former Lord Mayor of London, joins Owl Explains to unpack how blockchain can help cities govern smarter: from planning records to transit data. From congestion charges to building permits, Mainelli explains why cities need better memory systems and not just better apps. It’s local meets ledger, and a reminder that blockchain’s real power might lie in fixing what cities forget to track.

Ep 52: Rethinking Cities with Blockchain with Former Lord Mayor of London Michael Mainelli

Professor Michele Neitz (University of San Francisco) makes the case for tech courts, a bold idea that could help us rethink how justice works in a digital-first world. As AI and blockchain reshape everything from contracts to crime, our legal system needs to evolve. Tech-savvy justice isn’t a luxury anymore but a necessity for protecting rights and resolving disputes in the age of code.

Ep 51: Justice in the Age of Blockchain and AI—The Case for Tech Courts

Discover Letsbuyhealthcare [https://letsbuyhealthcare.com/] — a platform using Avalanche blockchain to let people prepay for private healthcare with tokenized credits in Ireland. Its founder, Dave Allen, breaks down how it works, why it matters, and what blockchain still needs to continue scaling.

Ep 50: How Blockchain Is Expanding Access to Healthcare - the Case of Letsbuyhealthcare

What happens when trust collapses faster than institutions can rebuild it? Amanda Wick, founder of the Association for Women in Crypto and author of The Catalysts, joins Owl Explains to unpack the forces fueling a new world financial order—from DeFi to geopolitics.

A single podcast episode can’t fit everything, so check out her book for more: The Catalysts by Amanda Wick | Pre-Order Now

Ep 49: Democracy, Dollars & DeFi, A Digital Shift

What if your AI assistant could explain complex crypto laws in plain English—and connect you with an actual expert if things got tricky? That’s the idea behind Crystal, built by lawyer and founder Joni Pirovich [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonipirovich/?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egoogle%2Ecom%2F&originalSubdomain=au]. We talk about the chaos of compliance, the myth of AI replacing lawyers, and why this tool could change the game.

Discover more: https://www.cryptococounsel.com [https://www.cryptococounsel.com/]





Ep 48: How AI is Changing the Game for Legal & Compliance in Web3

With stablecoin and market structure bills moving fast, and NFTs waiting in the wings, Rep. William Timmons explains how 2025 could finally bring clarity, credibility, and competitiveness to digital assets. From reshoring innovation to rethinking how government spends money, he walks us through the big vision—and the even bigger questions—behind America’s crypto comeback.

Ep 47: US Rep. William Timmons (R-SC)

US House Agriculture Chairman GT Thompson breaks down what blockchain has to do with wheat futures, GPS networks, and bipartisan cooperation. He shares how Congress is handling blockchain’s regulatory gray zones through committee cooperation and public input. It’s a grounded discussion of what’s being built, what’s still unclear, and why it matters.

👓 Read "A Blueprint for Digital Assets in America [https://www.coindesk.com/opinion/2025/04/04/a-blueprint-for-digital-assets-in-america]" co-written by Representatives French Hill and Glenn Thompson.

Ep 46: Chairman Glenn Thompson

Is DeFi truly decentralized? Is it more than just finance? Join Yvette Valdez (Latham & Watkins), Diana Barrero Zalles (GBBC), Joe Cutler (Perkins Coie), and Lee Schneider (Ava Labs) as they discuss DeFi’s opportunities, risks, and more.

Ep 45: DeFi’s Big Questions Answered

CFTC Commissioner Summer Mersinger and Sidley Austin’s Kate Lashley discuss the evolving landscape of digital assets regulation in the US. Discover how the CFTC aims to bring crypto onshore through balanced, innovation-friendly policies.

Ep 45: The CFTC’s Balancing Act of Web3 Innovation & Regulation

Owl Explains is a proud project of the Ava Labs Legal team that is committed to helping policymakers break through hype and navigate the blockchain world. Owl Explains hosts podcasts with industry leaders seeking to build a better Internet. Check out our X profile @OwlExplains [https://x.com/OwlExplains], and visit our website owlexplains.com [https://owlexplains.com/], where you will find practical explainers, quizzes, and more fun resources on all things Web3.

To stay in the know, subscribe to News from the Nest [https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/news-from-the-nest-7125501596116885504/]

The Owl Explains Hootenanny

The Crypto and Blockchain Economic Research (CBER) Forum and Owl Explains are delighted to present a transformative podcast series, "Crafting the Crypto Economy." This series features leading faculty from renowned global universities providing economic guidance regarding optimal design of various blockchain ecosystem elements. Particular focus will be given to proper economic design of tokens and of decentralized applications. This series is in collaboration with Columbia University’s Briger Family Digital Finance Lab, Columbia University’s Center for Digital Finance and Technologies, Boston University’s Digital Business Institute at the Questrom School of Business, École polytechnique and the University of Toronto Rotman School of Management's FinHub.

Owl Explains x CBER

Owl Explains's Show

Owl Explains is a trusted resource for educational information about blockchain & Web3 fundamentals, applications, and policy. We are a podcast seeking to educate the general public about blockchain, with a particular focus on policy and worldwide blockchain regulation. 

Owl Explains

Owl Explains [https://twitter.com/OwlExplains] is a trusted resource for educational information about blockchain & Web3 fundamentals, applications, and policy.


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