Espresso Co-founder's Decade in Crypto: I Wanted to Disrupt Wall Street's Ills, But Witnessed a Casino-Fication Transformation
Jill Gunter, co-founder of Espresso, reflects on her decade-long journey in crypto, which began with the aim of addressing systemic flaws she witnessed on Wall Street. She identified three core issues: monetary mismanagement (e.g., hyperinflation in Venezuela), financial exclusivity perpetuated by Wall Street’s privileged access to high-risk opportunities, and outdated, opaque financial infrastructure.
She saw Bitcoin and blockchain as solutions: a decentralized alternative to state-controlled money, a tool for democratizing finance, and a transparent, efficient system to replace legacy databases. However, the industry evolved unpredictably, cycling through hype cycles, regulatory shifts, and catastrophic failures like FTX. While crypto did democratize speculation—making finance more accessible—it also amplified "casino-like" risk-taking.
Despite disillusionment among some pioneers, Gunter argues meaningful progress has been made: Bitcoin offers a censorship-resistant store of value, retail investors gained access to early-stage assets, and traditional finance is adopting blockchain for settlements and payments. The revolution arrived, albeit in a form different from what many envisioned.
深潮2 дня назад 07:47
