FTX, Uniswap and Visa talk blockchain economy and opportunity at Disrupt

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Whether you’re bullish or bearish, web3-native or web3-naive, you have to admit nothing remains the same for long in the growing blockchain, crypto, NFT and web3 universe. And the entirety of the rapidly evolving space is under increasing scrutiny — both public and regulatory.

This constant change, combined with plenty of controversy, are just two reasons why we’re thrilled that Brett Harrison, president of FTX US; Mary-Catherine Lader, the COO at Uniswap Labs; and Cuy Sheffield, the VP and global head of crypto at Visa will join us for a panel discussion at TechCrunch Disrupt on October 18–20 in San Francisco.

During a conversation called “Structure, Regulation and Markets: The Road Ahead for Crypto Startups,” we’ll dig into how these leaders navigate constant product evolution, look at new opportunities the blockchain economy offers and get their take on the future of their respective markets.

We’re curious about the big, key regulatory issues looming over all players in the web3 space — trading venues (FTX), traditional companies dipping a toe in the waters (Visa) and crypto-native companies (Uniswap). What are they currently facing, and on what points do they agree — or disagree? No matter their perspectives, it should make for quite a lively discussion.

Under Brett Harrison’s tenure, FTX US has become the third-largest cryptocurrency exchange in the U.S. by valuation. Prior to joining FTX US, Harrison served as head of semisystematic technology at Citadel Securities, where he managed technology for the firm’s options, ETF, OTC and ADR trading globally.

Harrison spent the majority of his career at Jane Street Capital, where he led the firm’s algorithmic trading system development. He previously worked at Headlands Technologies as a senior software developer. Harrison received his MS and BA in computer science from Harvard.

Mary-Catherine Lader is responsible for growth, ventures, strategy and operations at Uniswap Labs. Previously, as managing director at BlackRock, she served as COO of the firm’s digital wealth business and as head of its climate tech business, Aladdin Sustainability. Lader also led strategic fintech investments, including BlackRock’s blockchain activities.

Lader has been a fintech investor, founder and operator for more than a decade and began her career as an investment analyst with Goldman Sachs’ special situations group. She has a JD and an MBA from Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School and a BA from Brown University.

Cuy Sheffield leads the global crypto product team within Visa’s product organization. He is also a fellow at the Visa Economic Empowerment Institute, a co-chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Cryptocurrencies and a member of the advisory group for the Digital Dollar Project. Before joining Visa, Sheffield worked on business development and partnerships for TrialPay, a fintech startup acquired by Visa in 2015.

Be sure to check out this interview with Mary-Catherine (MC) Lader in our Chain Reaction podcast.

TechCrunch Disrupt takes place on October 18–20 in San Francisco. Buy your pass today and find out why Disrupt is the place where startups go to grow.

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