Welcome to our latest episode of Women in Crypto, the podcast presented by the Association for Women in Cryptocurrency & sponsored by Bracewell LLP! In this exciting episode, we discuss the account of Custodia bank & the convoluted trials & tribulations of getting access to banking & payment rails. Our guests are Caitlin Long & Michelle Kallen.

Caitlin Long is Founder & CEO of Custodia Bank. A 22-year Wall Street veteran, Ms. Long became involved with Bitcoin in 2012. She spent most of her career on Wall Street in New York & Zurich, where most recently she was a managing director in Morgan Stanley’s Global Capital Markets Group. Beginning in 2017, she helped spearhead a multi-year initiative to make Wyoming, her native state, an oasis for blockchain companies in the US, where Wyoming has enacted 45 blockchain-enabling laws since then. Two Wyoming governors appointed her to serve on the Wyoming Legislature's Blockchain Task Force / Blockchain Select Committee. She is a graduate of Harvard Law School (JD, 1994), the Kennedy School of Government (MPP, 1994) & the University of Wyoming (BA, 1990).

Michelle Kallen is a partner at Jenner & Block’s appellate practice & a leader in law. She has represented the Blockchain Association, the Crypto Council for Innovation, Paradigm, & Senator Cynthia Lummis in some of the most important cases to the crypto industry. Michelle came to Jenner from government, where she served as Virginia’s first female solicitor general. In that role, she oversaw Virginia’s most complex 7 highest profile litigation, including serving as lead counsel to vindicate Virginia’s ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. Following her time in state government, Michelle joined the United States House of Representatives Office of General Counsel to represent the January 6 Select Committee in litigation [where she got to work with our own Amanda Wick!].

In this episode, sponsored by Bracewell LLP, we explore the incredible work of our members worldwide, shedding light on banking charters, the challenges crypto-friendly banks & fintechs in accessing payment rails, US’ dual banking system, the need for states & federal government to embrace a nuanced & consistent approach to banking regulations. We delve into Custodia’s ongoing legal battle against the Federal Reserve bank over the denial of a Master Account, access to banking services in Defi & the overall impact on democratization of financial access.

To learn more about AWIC, visit our website: www.womenincrypto.org

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Special thanks to Bracewell for its sponsorship & to Emily Corbrovsky for her invaluable technical support. Bracewell is a leading law & government relations firm whose award-winning teams lead the market in cutting-edge transactions, litigation, regulatory matters & government relations. Learn more at www.Bracewell.com.