66% of Wall Street is Already in DeFi | Paradigm’s 2025 Survey with Dan Robinson & Justin Slaughter
In this episode, we unpack Paradigm’s groundbreaking 2025 report, “TradFi Tomorrow: DeFi and the Rise of Extensible Finance,” with Paradigm’s Dan Robinson and Justin Slaughter.
We explore the stunning stat that 66% of traditional financial institutions are actively engaged with DeFi—and what that really means. From tokenization and stablecoins to regulatory clarity and decentralized exchanges, this conversation dives deep into how Wall Street is already integrating with crypto.
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TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Intro
7:10 What Constitutes a TradFi Firm
10:13 TradFi Firms with Defi
12:16 What's Exciting about this Report?
13:53 Stablecoins, Tokenization & More
18:54 Public Blockchains & TradFi?
21:05 “Tokenize The World” Moment?
27:47 TradFi’s Long-Term Outlook
33:19 The Formal Rejection of Private Blockchains
38:31 What’s Left for Regulation &Compliance
45:04 DeFi vs TradFi
48:07 User Value
50:55 Closing & Disclaimers
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RESOURCES
Paradigm Report
https://www.paradigm.xyz/2025/03/tradfi-tomorrow-defi-and-the-rise-of-extensible-finance
Dan Robinson
https://x.com/danrobinson
Justin Slaughter
https://x.com/JBSDC
Paradigm
https://x.com/paradigm
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Not financial or tax advice. See our investment disclosures here:
https://www.bankless.com/disclosures
Paradigms VP of Regulatory Affairs breaks down why Harris lost - and what Trump's win means for crypto
Justin Slaughter is the vice president of regulatory affairs at Paradigm.
In this episode, Slaughter and Chaparro discuss the Democratic Party's performance leading up to and during the recent election, particularly in relation to the crypto industry.
OUTLINE
00:00 Introduction
03:19 2024 Election Recap
04:47 Harris Campaign
07:50 Single-Issue Crypto Voters
11:13 Democratic Party Policy
22:48 Policy Flip-Flopping
26:49 Split Ticket Voters
36:37 New SEC Regime
43:01 Pro-Crypto Democrats
45:06 Predictions & Closing Thoughts
This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Polkadot
Polkadot is the blockspace ecosystem for boundless innovation. To discover more, head to polkadot.network
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Why Gary Gensler Will Likely Be Out as SEC Chair No Matter Who Wins the Election - Ep. 680
As the 2024 elections approach, crypto voters are a real bloc that could be a deciding factor in what looks to be a tight race.
In this episode, Sheila Warren of the Crypto Council for Innovation and Justin Slaughter from Paradigm discuss the significance of Trump appearing at Bitcoin 2024, promising the crypto community pretty much everything on its bucket list, the Democrats’ seeming pro-crypto shift behind the scenes, and the game theory around Gary Gensler’s future (likely not at the SEC).
Plus, they cover the significance (and likelihood of passing) of the Bitcoin Strategic Reserve Bill proposed and to be introduced by Sen. Cynthia Lummis, what would it take for Kamala Harris to show that she truly is a crypto-friendly candidate, and what the Democrats would have to do to undo the damage done by Gensler and win some of the crypto vote.
Lastly, they explore the potential impact on the SEC of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the Chevron doctrine.
Show highlights:
00:00 Intro
02:08 The significance of a US Presidential candidate, Trump, embracing Bitcoin
04:59 What Justin’s and Sheila’s takes are on the Democrats' sudden shift towards embracing a pro-crypto agenda and whether they can catch up
15:03 The key factor in Trump's shift from giving crypto platitudes to making substantive promises that top the crypto community’s wish list
20:21 How significant crypto could be in influencing the election, particularly in swing states
23:52 Whether Trump would even be able to fire Gary Gensler as SEC Chair, as he has promised
33:23 How the dynamics between Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris differ from the relationship Warren has with Biden
42:48 What could happen with the SEC Commissioner if Harris wins the presidency
50:34 The meaning of the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve in the US
57:55 How JD Vance's status as a Bitcoin owner could influence crypto voters and whether Harris could pick a pro-crypto VP
1:05:43 The chances the Democratic Party adopts a crypto plank, and what it might include
1:09:9 Whether there’s a chance a crypto bill could be passed this year
1:14:49 How the Supreme Court's recent decision to limit agency power by overturning the Chevron doctrine could impact the SEC's approach to crypto regulation
1:20:45 How Harris can establish a new stance on crypto while distancing herself from Biden's administration, without appearing disloyal
Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com
Thank you to our sponsors!
Polkadot
Guests:
Sheila Warren, CEO of Crypto Council for Innovation (CCI)
Justin Slaughter, Policy Director at Paradigm
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Chevron Deference: 40-Year Decision Reversed & Explained | Justin Slaughter
Is the Chevron Deference case good for crypto? Is it good for the U.S.? Or is this a giant tradeoff that will lead to bad outcomes?
Crypto enthusiasts, pro-tech individuals, and those on the right say this will stop regulators from making random rules.
Non-crypto sources, mainstream media, and those on the left say it will lead to chaos, unchecked corporations, and poor governance.
So, what’s the truth? That’s what we’re here to find out. Our guest today is Justin Slaughter, current policy director at Paradigm and previous senior adviser of the SEC and chief policy adviser of the CFTC.
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------ TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Intro 3:51 Slaughter 4:14 Ex-SEC & Ex-CFTC 6:52 Is D.C. Out to Get Us? 7:50 (Loper Bright) Chevron Deference 22:56 Arbitrary & Capricious 26:00 Impact of Shift in Power 32:04 Summary So Far 37:57 Different Framing Argument 41:12 Congress Not Doing Their Job? 47:46 Good For The Left? 51:06 Crypto Implications 55:04 Enforcement Action 56:53 The New Power Fight 58:18 Closing & Disclaimers ------ RESOURCES
Justin Slaughter https://x.com/JBSDC
------ Not financial or tax advice. See our investment disclosures here: https://www.bankless.com/disclosures
US crypto regulation is likely 'in a holding pattern' until after the 2024 election: Paradigm Policy Director
Justin Slaughter is the Policy Director at Paradigm.
In this episode, Slaughter explains why crypto regulation in the U.S. is likely stuck "in a holding pattern" until after the 2024 election cycle, and how policymakers on both sides of the aisle are beginning to see past crypto's volatility to appreciate the underlying technological innovation.
OUTLINE:
00:00 - Introduction
07:16 - Crypto Policy Overview
11:04 - Political Perceptions of Crypto
15:52 - Bipartisan Crypto Support
19:37 - FIT Act & Stablecoins Bill
23:02 - Global Crypto Regulation
25:29 - US Regulatory Uncertainty
28:01 - BlackRock’s Impact on Crypto
30:58 - 2024 Policy Outlook
37:30 - Paradigm’s Policy Priorities
This episode is brought to you by our sponsor, PayPal.
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