Episode Details

Crypto was supposed to replace traditional finance. Now, some of the world's biggest financial institutions are building with blockchain. But who will adapt and who risks getting left behind?

In this special Crypto in America episode from TOKEN2049 Singapore 2026, Jacquelyn Melinek moderates a conversation with Jake Chervinsky of Hyperliquid Policy Center, Charles Cascarilla, CEO and co-founder of Paxos, and Scott Lawin, President of Pantera Capital.

The panel explores the growing competition between traditional banks and onchain finance, why institutional crypto adoption may still be in its early stages, and how stablecoins, real-world asset tokenization, perpetual futures, and AI-powered finance could reshape financial infrastructure.

They also discuss Hyperliquid's potential entry into the U.S., the industry's path forward after the Clarity Act, and what the upcoming midterm elections could mean for crypto policy.

As Wall Street moves onchain, will established institutions evolve fast enough to compete with the next generation of financial innovators?

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to TOKEN2049 Singapore

01:01 Meet the Panel: Hyperliquid, Paxos & Pantera Capital

01:26 Moving Forward Without the Clarity Act

06:04 U.S. vs. Global Crypto Adoption

08:19 Bringing Hyperliquid to the United States

09:49 Is Institutional Crypto Adoption Still Early?

13:54 From DeFi to Onchain Finance

15:48 Where Washington, Wall Street & Blockchain Converge

16:12 Will Onchain Finance Become Just Finance?

17:59 Why Crypto Companies May Stop Calling Themselves Crypto

20:06 Stablecoins, Tokenization & the Next Phase of Finance

22:43 Can Traditional Banks Adapt to Blockchain?

23:19 Innovators vs. Financial Incumbents

25:22 What's the Biggest Opportunity in Crypto?

25:39 The Future of Real-World Asset Tokenization

26:47 AI, Agentic Finance & Blockchain Infrastructure

28:34 How the U.S. Midterms Could Affect Crypto Policy

🔹 Follow Us 

https://x.com/CryptoAmerica_

https://open.spotify.com/show/2Y3bQRj

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast

🔹Follow Hosts

Jacquelyn: https://x.com/jacqmelinek

Gerald: https://x.com/thatgerald

Eleanor: https://x.com/EleanorTerrett

Please note that this podcast is for informational purposes only and any views shared by anyone on the show are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have a direct or indirect financial interest in content mentioned in this episode.

#CryptoInAmerica #TOKEN2049 #Blockchain #OnchainFinance #Tokenization