CFTC Chairman J. Christopher Giancarlo to Address Forum

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 10, 2018) — The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) today announced the lineup of speakers for its upcoming Fintech Forum. The forum will examine cryptocurrency regulation, initial coin offerings, and blockchain technology. It is scheduled to occur on May 21, 2018 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. in The Spire Center, 750 First Street NE, in Washington, D.C. Details and registration information are available on the NASAA website (www.nasaa.org). Due to space limitations, participants also will be able to view the program online.

Christopher Giancarlo, Chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), will be the Forum’s featured speaker. Under Chairman Giancarlo’s leadership, the CFTC has played a leading role in efforts to build consensus and common ground with U.S. and international authorities on a wide range of topics including crypto-assets, fintech, and information-sharing.

“We are honored that Chairman Giancarlo will open our forum,” said Joseph P. Borg, NASAA President and Director of the Alabama Securities Commission. “State securities regulators, along with our federal counterparts, are working together to help Main Street investors understand the risks associated with emerging financial technologies. We recognize that these innovations may benefit investors, which makes appropriate regulation critical.”

The forum will be chaired by NASAA President-elect Michael Pieciak, Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation and Chair of NASAA’s Fintech Committee. Following remarks by NASAA President-elect Pieciak, the program will open with an address by Chairman Giancarlo, and will include three panel discussions.

The first panel, “The 21st Century Currency: Who, Why, and How Should Cryptocurrencies be Regulated in a Tech World,” will be moderated by Moad Fahmi, Director of Fintech and Innovation, the Quebec Autorité des marchés financiers. Panelists include: Marjorie Peerce, Partner, Ballard Spahr LLP; John Ryan, President & Chief Executive Officer, Conference of State Bank Supervisors; Valerie Szczepanik, Attorney, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; and Brian Trackman, Attorney Lead for LabCFTC, U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

The second panel “To the Moon and Back: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Initial Coin Offerings,” will be moderated by Frank Borger-Gilligan, Assistant Commissioner for Securities, Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance Securities Division. Panelists include: Sara Hanks, Chief Executive Officer, Crowdcheck; Bryan Lantagne, Director, Massachusetts Securities Division; Robert Rosenblum, Partner, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati; and Barrie VanBrackle, Partner, Orrick LLP.

The third panel: “Block to the Future: How Blockchain Technology and Smart Contracts are Transforming and Disrupting the Securities Industry,” will be moderated by Robin Wiessmann, Commissioner and Secretary of Banking and Securities, Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities. Panelists include: Charles De Simone, First Vice President, SIFMA; Fredrik Voss, Vice President of Blockchain Innovation, Nasdaq; and Haime Workie, Senior Director, Office of Emerging Regulatory Issues, FINRA.

The forum will conclude with an interview of Peter Van Valkenburgh, Research Director of Coin Center, a non-profit research and advocacy center focused on the public policy issues facing cryptocurrency and decentralized computing technologies like Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Registration Information:

• To register to attend the roundtable in person use the following link: In-Person Registration.
• To register to attend online, please use the following link: Virtual Forum Registration.

NASAA is the oldest international organization devoted to investor protection. Its membership consists of the securities administrators in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the provinces and territories of Canada, and Mexico. For more information, visit: www.nasaa.org.

For More Information:
Bob Webster | Director of Communications
202-737-0900