Cryptocurrencies, Blockchain, and the Future of SEC Oversight
In this episode of COSIMO Verbatim, we talk with Simona Mola, Manager at Bates White and previously Assistant Director and Senior Policy Advisor at the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Simona discusses her perspective on the current and potential future oversight of cryptocurrencies and blockchain in the U.S and the possible impact of SEC regulation.
At Bates White, Simona conducts independent economic analysis of different types of crypto projects, including ICOs. She works with both sell-side and buy-side participants, as well as law firms in the context of legal disputes. At the SEC, Simona led teams of economists in developing rigorous economic analyses for high-profile rulemakings and other policy projects with litigation risk. Before she joined the SEC, Dr. Mola was assistant professor of Finance at Arizona State University. Her research has been published in the Journal of Financial Economics, Accounting Review, the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, and the Journal of Behavioral Finance. She has taught several courses in finance at academic institutions and presented her research at numerous domestic and international conferences.
About COSIMO Verbatim: COSIMO Verbatim is a thought leadership series sponsored by COSIMO Ventures, and includes podcasts and posts that explore disruptive deep tech trends that harness the potential to change our world. Verbatim is led by COSIMO Ventures’ Managing Partners Ciaran Hynes and Robert Frasca, leaders in bringing deep, disruptive technologies to the global marketplace in real-world industries.
About COSIMO Ventures: COSIMO Ventures is an investment firm focused on transforming promising deep technology companies into global industry leaders. COSIMO Ventures invests in sectors including blockchain, cryptocurrencies, VR, AR and the IoT.
Show Notes:
1:07 — The SEC and the present state of cryptocurrency oversight
5:21 — Complying with current securities regulations in the U.S.
12:15 — Simona’s perspective on potential future SEC oversight of crypto-tokens
15:50 — Possible ways to use regulation to build investor confidence
25:07 — Simona’s vision of cryptocurrency regulation in 2019
