The CFTC commissioner, in a year marked by an aggressive, sometimes arbitrary regulatory enforcement, stood out as an accommodator of innovation in the crypto sector.
Antonio Juliano: Uprooting a Successful Exchange to Explore the Cosmos
Juliano’s dYdX switched from Ethereum to Cosmos in one of the year’s biggest blockchain defections. The project has big plans for 2024.
Shytoshi Kusama and the SHIB community Proved that ‘Meme Coins’ Are No Joke
With the launch of Shibarium this year, Shytoshi Kusama and the SHIB community have established themselves as a force to be reckoned with in DeFi and Web3.
Luca Schnetzler: When NFTs Crashed, He Led Pudgy Penguins to Success
While much of the NFT market was taking beatings, the Pudgy Penguins CEO drove his brand forward, setting up shop with some of the largest retail stores in the country.
Ravi Menon: Singapore’s Middle Way Regulator
Singapore’s central bank head has steered a path between Hong Kong’s embrace of crypto and India’s stifling of it.
‘Pacman’ Gobbled NFT Sales With Blur
Blur upended OpenSea’s NFT marketplace dominance by focusing on big traders. Its cofounder, Pacman, who doxxed himself to face its burgeoning community, earns a spot on the Most Influential 2023.
Hayden Adams: From Ethereum Idealist to Business Realist at Uniswap
Uniswap, the first decentralized crypto exchange of its kind, was Adams’ first and greatest contribution to Ethereum. The latest V4, inviting praise and criticism, earns him a spot on the Most Influential 2023.
Richard Teng: Steering Binance in a New Era of Compliance
With Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao gone, the new CEO has big shoes to fill as he’s tasked with cleaning up the reputation of the world’s largest crypto exchange.
Patrick McHenry Is Dragging Crypto Bills Through Congress
The bowtied chairman of the House Financial Services Committee has shown persistence in the face of increasing partisanship on crypto issues.
Analisa Torres: The Judge Who Gave Ripple and XRP Hope
The U.S. District judge’s partial ruling against SEC and in favor of Ripple and XRP could create a precedent the crypto industry can come back to over and over.
Anatoly Yakovenko and Solana Bounce Back
With a rocketing token and tech improvements on the horizon, the Solana community – rallied by industry champion Anatoly Yakovenko – defied the odds of defeat.
Pascal Gauthier Gave Crypto What It Needs – And Earned Jeers
Crypto wallet company Ledger created a controversial seed recovery service, something newbies truly need, but suffered through a massive backlash.
Caroline Ellison Buried Sam Bankman-Fried
The former Alameda Research CEO gave damning testimony in the fraud trial of her former boyfriend, Sam Bankman-Fried, making her one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential in 2023.
Ogle Catches the Crypto Crooks
Hacks happen a lot in crypto. So Ogle has professionalized asset recovery for the victims. He’s pretty good at it.
Miguel Morel: Shining a Light on Crypto’s Leaky Pseudonymity
Arkham’s Intel Exchange, which pays people to help identify wallets, caused an uproar over its alleged “dox-to-earn” program.
The Year of Decentralized Social Media
Farcaster, Friend.tech and Lens showed how much can change in a year — but is Web3 networking ready for primetime?
Paul Sztorc: Scaling Bitcoin With Sidechains
The developer’s proposal (BIP 300) for “Drive Chains” (sidechains) on Bitcoin – meant to allow greater collaboration with other chains – was met with fierce opposition from some Bitcoiners this year. Sztorc says the community hasn’t been innovating fast enough.
Balaji Put His Money Where His Mouth Was
Srinivasan bet $1 million the U.S. dollar would collapse (and lost), and evangelized his ideas about startup societies, making him one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential in 2023.
Yat Siu: The Metaverse Man Gets Real
Web3 gaming powerhouse Animoca Brands isn’t playing around; it takes its work with governments and educating a skeptical audience seriously.
Ria Bhutoria Is Researcher-in-Chief
A partner at Castle Island Ventures, Bhutoria has produced some of the smartest analysis in crypto over the last several years.