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Exploring Crypto's Role in Times of Conflict | Israel's Crypto Scene, Smart Contracts Under BitVM, and More
Covering the influence of conflict on Israel's crypto sector, the evolution of smart contracts on Bitcoin, and a comprehensive examination of the ethical, technical, and legal intricacies that define the crypto landscape, notably in the aftermath of the FTX collapse as witnessed in Sam Bankman-Fried's trial in New York City.
ABOUT
This episode is sponsored by the Algorand Foundation.
In this episode of "The Protocol," join our hosts, Brad Keoun, the founding editor of The Protocol newsletter, along with tech journalists Sam Kessler and Margaux Nijkerk, as they delve into the ever-evolving realm of blockchain technology. Amidst the Israel-Hamas conflict, they delve into the dynamic interplay between innovation and adversity. Additionally, they explore the contentious World Coin project, which employs iris scanning for biometric authentication, shedding light on the convergence of AI and blockchain technology. Sam Kessler provides insights from the Manhattan courthouse regarding the technical intricacies of the FTX collapse during the SBF trial. It becomes evident that the sector is undergoing a refining process in response to heightened scrutiny and legal deliberations following FTX's involvement.
EPISODE LINKS |
Israeli Crypto Firms Scramble to Deal With War, in Between the Sirens
Bitcoin Might Get Ethereum-Style Smart Contracts Under ‘BitVM’ Plan
The Tech Guru Behind Worldcoin: a Q&A With Tiago Sada
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The Protocol has been produced and edited by senior producer Michele Musso and our executive producer is Jared Schwartz. Our theme song is “Take Me Back” by Strength To Last.
HOSTS
Margaux Nijkerk reports on the Ethereum protocol and L2s. A graduate of Johns Hopkins and Emory universities, she has a masters in International Affairs & Economics. She holds BTC and ETH above CoinDesk's disclosure threshold of $1,000.

Sam is CoinDesk's deputy managing editor for tech and protocols. His reporting is focused on decentralized technology, infrastructure and governance. Sam holds a computer science degree from Harvard University, where he led the Harvard Political Review. He has a background in the technology industry and owns some ETH and BTC. Sam was part of the team that won a 2023 Gerald Loeb Award for CoinDesk's coverage of Sam Bankman-Fried and the FTX collapse.

Bradley Keoun is CoinDesk's managing editor of tech & protocols, where he oversees a team of reporters covering blockchain technology, and previously ran the global crypto markets team. A two-time Loeb Awards finalist, he previously was chief global finance and economic correspondent for TheStreet and before that worked as an editor and reporter for Bloomberg News in New York and Mexico City, reporting on Wall Street, emerging markets and the energy industry. He started out as a police-beat reporter for the Gainesville Sun in Florida and later worked as a general-assignment reporter for the Chicago Tribune. Originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana, he double-majored in electrical engineering and classical studies as an undergraduate at Duke University and later obtained a master's in journalism from the University of Florida. He is currently based in Austin, Texas, and in his spare time plays guitar, sings in a choir and hikes in the Texas Hill Country. He owns less than $1,000 each of several cryptocurrencies.

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