Ian Allison

Senior Reporter

Ian Allison is a senior reporter at CoinDesk, focused on institutional and enterprise adoption of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. Prior to that, he covered fintech for the International Business Times in London and Newsweek online. He won the State Street Data and Innovation journalist of the year award in 2017, and was runner up the following year. He also earned CoinDesk an honourable mention in the 2020 SABEW Best in Business awards. His November 2022 FTX scoop, which brought down the exchange and its boss Sam Bankman-Fried, won a Polk award, Loeb award and New York Press Club award. Ian graduated from the University of Edinburgh. He holds ETH.

Latest from Ian Allison

Finance

Coinbase Taps Ex-Barclays Markets Exec to Head Institutional Coverage

Coinbase has hired former Barclays markets veteran, Brett Tejpaul, to lead institutional coverage at the San Francisco-based crypto exchange.

Apr 20, 2020

Finance

Why Tech-Minded Climate Groups See COVID-19 as a Trial Run for Massive Change

Reaching the Paris Agreement's lofty climate goals will require the decentralization of decision-making at all levels, say INATBA and others.

Apr 16, 2020

EMPTY: Coronavirus lockdowns have cut into global carbon emissions – but not by as much as is required of hitting Paris Agreement climate goals. (Credit: Shutterstock)

Finance

COVID-19 ‘Immunity Passport’ Unites 60 Firms on Self-Sovereign ID Project

The COVID-19 Credentials Initiative (CCI) is working on a digital certificate to help stop the spread of the virus without compromising user privacy.

Apr 13, 2020

A health worker conducts a COVID-19 test in Kuala Lumpur, April 12, 2020. (Credit: Shutterstock)

Finance

Microsoft, Celo Back Virtual Earth Day Event From Blockchain for Social Impact Coalition

Microsoft is throwing its weight behind the Blockchain for Social Impact Coalition (BSIC) incubator, a six-week hackathon focused on green energy.

Apr 7, 2020

Policy

'Ship-to-Ship' Trade and Other Secrets of North Korea's Illicit $1.5B Crypto Stash

Experts on North Korea say the country’s $1.5 billion cryptocurrency war chest is used to fund an illicit web of trade networks and supply chains.

Apr 7, 2020

INT'L WATERS: A reliable way for DPRK to circumvent sanctions involves ship-to-ship transfers with cryptocurrency payments. (Credit: Shutterstock)

Finance

Cambrial Capital to Shut Down After Coronavirus Tanks Markets: Sources

Cambrial Capital, a crypto-focused fund of funds, is quietly winding down its operations, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

Apr 3, 2020

Finance

Ex-State Street Blockchain Team Drops DLT From New Data-Privacy Startup

Data privacy startup Manetu goes live early next month with $3.5 million in backing from Castle Island Ventures and others.

Mar 31, 2020

Manetu CEO Moiz Kohari. (Credit: Moiz Kohari)

Finance

German Startup Pitches Decentralized ID for Prescription Pickup During COVID-19

Coronavirus drove blockchain startup Spherity to develop a decentralized ID prototype for interacting with healthcare providers and pharmacies.

Mar 30, 2020

Finance

Can Bitcoin Survive the Climate Change Revolution?

If ESG is becoming the new buzzword among impact-minded financial institutions, where does energy-intensive bitcoin fit in?

Mar 30, 2020

ESG: Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg speaks to a crowd at a rally in Edmonton, Canada. (Credit: Shutterstock)

Tech

World Health Organization Teams With IBM, Oracle on Blockchain-Based Coronavirus Data Hub

Big names like IBM, Oracle and the World Health Organization (WHO) will use blockchain technology to track data relating to the coronavirus pandemic.

Mar 27, 2020

A healthcare worker collects a coronavirus sample. (Credit: Shutterstock)