Like a lot of people, Orlando thought crypto was pretty much just internet money for people looking to do illegal things online. The 2017 ICO boom piqued his curiosity a little, but it wasn’t until 2020 with the increased interest in DeFi that Orlando started to really pay attention and had his light bulb moment and realized that crypto and web3 are actually revolutionary.

The innovative and disruptive nature of crypto and DeFi naturally bring about questions of legality and consumer protection, there is perhaps no one better positioned to navigate these dense but important conversations than Orlando. With his background as a startup and VC lawyer, securities and government enforcement litigator, and trader, Orlando’s knowledge is second to none, but it’s his innate aptitude for breaking down complex concepts and figuring out the way forward that makes the Lexproof founder and CEO a leading voice of reason in the space.

What we unraveled —

7:00 - What helped Orlando to see crypto was far more than sketchy internet money, and held incredible possibility for changing the world

11:59 - Orlando’s diverse career journey and what prompted him to take the plunge from being a lawyer to founding his own crypto startup

18:58 - Orlando breaks down the concept, practical applications and conflicts that arise with DeFi (decentralized finance)

22:16 - Orlando’s take on the US Treasury’s assessment of crypto, why a significant number DeFi applications aren’t truly decentralized and how that relates to criminal actions in relation to KYC laws

36:42 - What the future of DeFi looks like in light of the KYC, and what Orlando sees as the best path forward to prevent money laundering while still allowing innovation in the space to move forward 

43:03 - The proposed SEC rule changes for communications protocols, what it means for crypto, and how it’s related to free speech

51:23 - Orlando’s company Lexproof does how they help businesses navigate compliance infrastructure

52:21 - Zero Knowledge technology, how it relates to NFTs, and why it’s used for privacy as well as scalability

57:06 - Orlando’s take on AI and the impact it will have

Unravel Further —

Links Mentioned in this Episode -

Lex Proof

Helium 

Orlando’s DeFi Breakdown on Twitter

Listen Next - 

CBDCs, the Banking Crisis, and Being a Leading Voice in Crypto with Thinking Crypto Host, Tony Edward (Ep. 19)

More of Orlando -

Orlando is the founder & CEO of Lexproof, a startup building web3 native compliance infrastructure. He is also an attorney and represents web3 startups and organizations in corporate and regulatory matters.

Connect with Orlando on Twitter