A Crypto Developer’s Guide to Consensus 2024

From the metaverse to real-world assets, Consensus represents the crypto industry’s “Big Tent” event. So whether you’re building tomorrow’s biggest crypto custodian or working on the bleeding edge of zero-knowledge proofs, these are the events you won’t want to miss.

Grab your tickets here for Consensus 2024, in Austin, Texas, May 29-31.

See also: What Consensus Speakers Are Looking Forward to This Year

Wednesday, May 29

The OG Survivors (10:10 AM CDT • 11:10 AM EDT)

Nine years in crypto feels like half a century in normie time. On the occasion of the tenth annual Consensus, the industry's veteran entrepreneurs Abra CEO Bill Barhydt alongside industry luminaries Meltem Demirors and Michael Casey will reflect on the exhilarating highs and grueling lows, the pivotal moments and strategic pivots as well as the hard lessons and hardened spirits that make this a business like no other.

How a 150-Year-Old Wall Street Titan Is Thinking About This Technology (11:35 AM CDT • 12:35 PM EDT)

Goldman Sachs' Global Head of Digital Assets Mathew McDermott will talk tokenization, tokenization, tokenization — and the technology that needs to be built to make real-world assets a reality.

Regulating Software Development - What to Expect in the Coming Three Years (1:30 PM CDT • 2:30 PM EDT)

U.S. regulators are falling behind the rest of the world on crafting sane and supporting guidelines for developing blockchain-based protocols, endangering the industry and inciting startups to set up in different jurisdictions. Consensys, Uniswap and Ledger lawyers are slated to discuss the safest way to create a crypto startup, and how to avoid compliance-related headaches.

Open Money Summit: Time to Combine? Mergers and Acquisitions in Digital Assets (3:30 PM CDT • 4:30 PM EDT)

A wave of consolidations swept the industry in the wake of 2022’s contagion event and will likely happen again during the market upswing, as growing companies look to invest. Attorneys and investment bankers including DLx Law’s Sarah Chen, KBW’s Paul McCaffery and Imperii Partners’ Tony Scuderi will discuss how the tone and tenor of M&A deals change during boom and bust market cycles.

Thursday, May 30

Crypto, the U.S. Elections, and the Next Administration (10:00 AM CDT • 11:00 AM EDT)

Tim Draper, one of the first major VCs to buy bitcoin, is joined on the mainstage Polygon Labs Chief Legal Officer Rebecca Rettig and Messari CEO Ryan Selkis to discuss how politics affects crypto policy and how the upcoming presidential election will change the landscape for starting a blockchain company.

Passport to Europe: Understanding the EU’s MiCA Framework (11:30 AM CDT • 12:30 PM EDT)

The European Union’s landmark MiCA package creates a clear set of rules and guidelines for crypto companies to follow. Not only will the ruleset help to turn the EU into a hub for blockchain businesses, but it could also shape policy across the globe.

Which Countries Will Win the War for Web3? (2:30 PM CDT • 3:30 PM EDT)

Gemini Chief Operating Officer Marshall Beard, Dragonfly General Partner Rob Hadick and Crypto Council for Innovation CEO Sheila Warren will discuss the jurisdictions where crypto companies not only survive but thrive. Jurisdictions that create pathways for crypto companies stand to benefit as the industry invests in the regions that welcome them with open arms.

Prometheum's Perspective (4:10 PM CDT • 5:10 PM EDT)

In an industry as contentious as crypto, perhaps no startup is more controversial than Prometheum, the special purpose broker dealer that wants to list “crypto asset securities” — including Ethereum. Co-CEO Aaron Kaplan will give his perspective about why crypto needs regulated entities to run the show.

Friday, May 31

Can DeFi Scale? (10:10 AM CDT • 11:10 AM EDT)

MakerDAO founder Rune Christensen and decentralize finance expert at The Defiant Camila Russo will discuss whether decentralized finance is living up to its promise of empowerment and how it can maintain its ideals as it continues to scale to a global level.

Beyond the Bubble: How VCs Are Investing in Crypto and AI (11:20 AM CDT • 12:20 PM EDT)

The pivot from crypto to artificial intelligence is discussed with derision derided, but the simple fact is that Web3 and AI are a natural pairing. Panel guests will look past the hype and jargon to give a real insight into what types of projects, sub-sectors and use cases in the Crypto+AI space have true substance and alpha.

Bringing the Next Trillion Dollars of Assets On-Chain (12:45 PM CDT • 1:45 PM EDT)

Real-world assets, i.e. traditional financial products that are brought on-chain, is one of the fastest growing sectors in the digital asset space, to such an extent that BlackRock CEO Larry Fink thinks tokenization will soon eat the world. Founders of three of the hottest RWA startups, Centrifuge, Superstate and Maple Finance, will discuss where this transformation is heading.

De-Risking DeFi (2:30 PM CDT • 3:30 PM EDT)

From smart contract bugs to rug pulls to price swings, decentralized finance has long been rife with risks. Learn whether it's getting safer and what projects and investors can do to limit their downside, including insurance, audits, treasury management strategies and more.

Edited by Brad Spies.