Join the UCLA Anderson Center for Global Management and UCLA School of Law’s Lowell Milken Institute for Business Law and Policy for a discussion on cryptocurrency including how it should be regulated, its implications for the U.S. and global economies, and the challenges we are likely to confront as cryptocurrency becomes more prevalent in daily transactions. Matthew Gertler (B.A. ’11), General Counsel of Reserve, which has created a stable universal digital currency, will lead the discussion. Gertler has been involved in fintech throughout his career, including time at Venmo, Earnest, and co-founding Digital Asset Research, an advisor to institutional investors in crypto. He was an associate at the international law firm, Milbank LLP, and also has his own law firm. Gertler earned his B.A. in economics and history from UCLA and a MSc in Digital Currency from the University of Nicosia. He also holds JD/MBA degrees from USC’s Gould School of Law and Marshall School of Business.

Over a decade since the development of BITCOIN, financial and legal systems struggle to catch up with the explosion of cryptocurrencies. Coinbase reported that as of July 2022, there are more than 10,000 tradeable cryptocurrencies. One study estimates that 321 million people worldwide own cryptocurrencies as of mid-2022. Some analysts predict that the global blockchain market will grow by US$39 billion by 2025.

The past two years have witnessed a rollercoaster in the cryptocurrency markets. Comedian Larry David starred in a Superbowl ad that touted the virtues of investing in cryptocurrency, even if the investor cannot understand how it works. In January 2022, Bitcoin was trading at $37,928. At the beginning of September 2022, it is trading slightly over $19,000. Yet, despite its potential for volatility and concerns about its impact on the environment and its use in criminal activity, cryptocurrency is seen by many as a possible future of money and exchange. Please join us for a thoughtful discussion and interactive conversation on the state of cryptocurrency and how it may affect our future.