Killer newsletter this week folks

This is very true and I’ve never heard it articulated so well

Today's @_TalkingTokens is with @AriannaSimpson, GP at @a16zcrypto If you want to know how @a16z picks which founders to invest in, out of thousands of pitch decks, this episode is for you. We dive into her investment strategy, advice to founders, key sectors this market cycle and global trends. Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro: Who is Arianna Simpson? 01:20 - From Facebook to founding a crypto venture fund 04:10 - Joining a16z crypto and early-stage investment focus 07:15 - How a16z chooses which founders to back 10:05 - Key sectors on a16z’s radar: stablecoins, DeFi, infrastructure 13:00 - Why user experience will drive the next wave of adoption 15:45 - Global adoption trends and emerging markets 18:40 - Navigating regulation and policy changes 21:20 - Advice for founders entering the space now 24:15 - The role of storytelling in raising capital 27:10 - How founders can stand out to top investors 30:25 - Building resilience through market cycles 33:45 - Common mistakes early-stage founders make 36:40 - Final thoughts: stay adaptable, mission-driven, and bold

Blockchains for TradFi: What banks, asset managers, and fintechs should know. ⤵️

How To Launch A Token (Legally) 🎙️ @milesjennings @eddylazzarin @JasonYanowitz 03:36 Progress In DC 13:55 End of Foundation Era In Crypto 29:02 DUNAs & BORGs 40:12 Defining Tokens 56:25 Token Transparency & Classifications 01:07:29 When To Turn On Fees? 01:19:44 Common Founder FAQs Full episode available via links below ↓

You WOULDN'T BELIEVE how many reasonable, sharp people fall for phishing scams. Phisherman are getting more sophisticated, and can hit you with an unexpected, scary request that you've never seen before. A great way to be prepared is to SEE the patterns and recognize them.

Sad week saying goodbye to all these amazing players. I guess we wait to see what’s next for the @SFGiants and hope for the best! 🧡

With the GENIUS Act celebration done, builders already want to know what's next. The answer is CLARITY – crypto market structure legislation – which also got overwhelming bipartisan support in the House last week. Here's everything you need to get caught up on CLARITY:

Clear rules for stablecoins and the road ahead At the White House today, the first piece of U.S. crypto legislation will be signed into law: the GENIUS Act. It provides clear rules for stablecoins. This is a historic moment — not just for crypto, but for the world at large. That’s because stablecoins give us something we’ve never really had before: open money infrastructure. Stablecoins are a better form of money: faster, cheaper, and more global. They cut fees and eliminate intermediaries. They are auditable and programmable. They allow developers to build new kinds of apps that weren’t possible before: low-to-no cost remittances, programmatic micropayments, AI-native transactions, transparent and disintermediated global commerce, and more. Stablecoins give the world access to the dollar, they spread financial freedom, and they ensure that the next generation of financial infrastructure is built on U.S. standards. For too long, innovators in crypto have operated under legal uncertainty. That uncertainty has stifled progress, driven builders offshore, and created a fragmented internet. The GENIUS Act reverses this: it creates clarity for stablecoins and sets us on a path toward broader crypto market structure reforms. This is how the internet moves forward: through clear rule-making. With the GENIUS Act, stablecoins have clear rules, paving the way for better payments, financial products, and an overhaul of the global financial system. Next, we need the same for the rest of the crypto market. The Senate can do this by passing the CLARITY Act, which provides clear rules of the road for the broader crypto industry, opening a path for innovators while also protecting consumers from scams and bad actors. We believe that the U.S. can lead the next era of the internet — the read-write-own era — by enabling open, user-owned protocols instead of the closed, corporate platforms that defined the last one. This legislation lays the foundation for that future. It's the beginning of a new chapter.

🚨BREAKING (I rarely use that term anymore, but this time I think it’s warranted 😁): All *three* crypto bills just passed the House and the GENIUS Act is now headed to @realDonaldTrump’s desk to become the first major piece of crypto legislation signed into law. Despite the last few days of drama and uncertainty, Democrats and Republicans really showed up, voting in a much more bipartisan fashion than almost anyone expected. Let’s recap: 📌The CLARITY Act passed in a vote of 294-134 with 78 Democrats voting in favor — more than double the ~35 expected, and more than the 71 who voted to pass FIT21 last year. 📌The GENIUS Act passed in a vote of 308-122 with 102 Democrats voting in favor. 📌The Anti-CBDC Act passed in a vote of 219-210 with 2 Democrats voting in favor. The signing ceremony for the GENIUS Act is set for tomorrow afternoon at the White House. A fitting (and happy) end to Crypto Week.