Blockchain
Eventus Systems appoints Joseph Schifano to new role of Global Head of Regulatory Affairs
Eventus Systems, Inc., a multi-award winning global trade surveillance and risk management software platform provider, today announced the appointment of Joseph Schifano as Global Head of Regulatory Affairs, Mikhail Gasiorowski as Sales Director, North America, and Diane Imas as Director of Marketing. Schifano is an attorney with more than 20 years of experience in market surveillance matters, most recently as Deputy General Counsel and Global Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) of Tower Research Capital in New York, along with senior regulatory roles at two global banks and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
Schifano, Gasiorowski and Imas are all based in New York and report respectively to Eventus President Jeff Bell, Global Head of Sales Scott Schroeder and Chief Strategy Officer Eric Einfalt. The three new roles are the latest in a series of strategic hires this year as part of the firm’s aggressive growth strategy facilitated by a successful investment round that closed in February.
Eventus CEO Travis Schwab said: “Joe brings outstanding experience to this important new regulatory affairs role, with expertise across the legal, compliance, supervisory, risk management and technology landscapes. Mikhail already has a strong track record running North American Sales in the trade surveillance space, and Diane is another great addition to the firm with her hands-on integrated marketing experience in the fintech and financial services sector. We’ve been very fortunate at a time when many companies are contracting to add significant depth to our talented team.”
Schifano said: “I met Travis and Jeff when Eventus was just starting out and have been impressed with the Validus platform from those early days. I look forward to partnering with our key client stakeholders – as a former CCO who understands their perspective – to continually assess and improve their experience, generate ideas for new functionality and products based on marketplace intelligence, and ensure we stay ahead of global regulatory developments that impact clients’ businesses.”
At Tower, Schifano led the global compliance team covering proprietary trading activity in electronic markets worldwide. Prior to his appointment as Global CCO, Schifano served as Head of Americas Compliance. He joined Tower as Counsel in 2014. Previously, he was Vice President, U.S. Markets in the Legal Department at the NYSE, responsible for advising the exchange’s affiliates on rule interpretations, regulatory exams and regulatory reporting. Prior to joining NYSE in 2013, Schifano served as Director, Equities Supervision – Americas at Barclays Capital Inc. in New York. He spent more than 10 years at UBS Securities LLC in a number of roles including Regulatory Attorney, Head of Customer Service and Regulatory Affairs Officer. Schifano received a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Social Sciences and Business from Binghamton University in Vestal, New York, and a Juris Doctor from New York Law School.
For more than two years beginning in early 2018, Gasiorowski was Director of Sales, North America for b-next Americas, Inc., a provider of software solutions for capital markets trading surveillance and compliance. For six years prior, he served in the same role at Business Connect China, Inc., an independent research provider focused on China and the emerging markets. From 2008 to 2011, Gasiorowski was in sales at UBS Investment Bank, in roles related to exchange-traded derivatives and prime services clearing. Gasiorowski received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania.
Imas has a decade of communications experience in New York in roles spanning marketing, public relations (PR) and investor relations (IR). Prior to joining Eventus she was Associate Director of Brand, Advertising and Content for Prometheum, Inc., a blockchain securities platform. She previously served as Senior Director of Communication, Business Development for a global initial coin offering (ICO) company, as blockchain technology first entered the financial marketplace. From 2011 to 2018, she worked at several PR, marketing and IR firms including Cognito Media, Peppercomm and KCSA Strategic Communications. Imas began her career at The Week Magazine. She is the New York City community partner for the FinTech Connector, a professional membership network connecting fintech start-ups and entrepreneurs with global professionals, organizations and investors. Imas earned a Bachelor of Science degree in public relations from Boston University’s College of Communications and has a certificate in digital marketing from Columbia Business School.
Blockchain
U.S. Factoring Services Market Analysis by Product, Technology, Grade, Application and End-user (2019-2032) – Next-Gen Technologies Drive Surge in Alternative Financing Access for SMEs
Blockchain
Blocks & Headlines: Today in Blockchain – May 12, 2025 | Rootstock, Zimbabwe Carbon Registry, Fastex, 21Shares, The Blockchain Group
Welcome to Blocks & Headlines, your daily op-ed style deep dive into the most pivotal blockchain and crypto stories shaping today’s market. In this edition—May 12, 2025—we cover:
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Bitcoin DeFi Security Strengthens as Rootstock garners 81% of Bitcoin’s hashrate
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Zimbabwe’s Blockchain Carbon Credit Registry aims to restore investor trust
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Token2049 Dubai Highlights spotlight Fastex’s Web3 innovations
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21Shares’ New ETP for Cronos (CRO) bridges traditional finance and DeFi
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The Blockchain Group’s €9.9 M Capital Raise fuels its Bitcoin treasury strategy
Below, each story is summarized with key takeaways and opinion-driven context.
Introduction
Today’s blockchain landscape is defined by two contrasting forces: institutional maturation—as legacy players and governments adopt tokenized assets and infrastructure—and startup-driven innovation—where Web3 pioneers push boundaries in DeFi, NFTs, and on-chain governance. Major trends include:
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Security & Scalability: Layer-2 solutions and cross-chain bridges are gaining traction to secure and scale Bitcoin and Ethereum ecosystems.
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Transparency & Trust: From carbon credits to capital markets, blockchain is repeatedly chosen to enhance auditability and investor confidence.
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Mainstream Access: Crypto ETPs and regulated token offerings are lowering barriers for retail and institutional investors.
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Treasury Management: Public companies are increasingly using Bitcoin and token holdings as strategic assets to hedge against macro volatility.
Let’s unpack today’s five developments and their broader implications.
1. Bitcoin DeFi Security Strengthens with Rootstock’s Hashrate Share
What happened: A new Messari report finds that Rootstock (RSK), Bitcoin’s oldest layer-2 smart-contract platform, now commands 81% of Bitcoin’s total hashrate, up from 56% before major mining pools Foundry and SpiderPool onboarded in February. Transactions on Rootstock are 95% cheaper than on-chain Bitcoin and 55% cheaper than Ethereum, positioning RSK for sustained DeFi growth in 2025.
Source: CoinDesk
Analysis & commentary:
Rootstock’s dominant hashrate share underscores two key shifts:
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Security by Convergence: By leveraging Bitcoin’s massive mining network, RSK mitigates the common 51% risk faced by smaller chains.
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Cost-Efficiency for DeFi: Lower fees make RSK an attractive alternative to Ethereum for yield protocols, lending markets, and decentralized exchanges.
However, challenges remain. Smart-contract developers must integrate robust cross-chain bridges—Rootstock’s partnership with LayerZero is a start—to attract liquidity. Moreover, regulatory scrutiny of DeFi is rising; RSK’s governance will need transparent on-chain dispute resolution and compliance tooling to win institutional adoption.
2. Zimbabwe’s Blockchain Carbon Credit Registry to Revive Investor Confidence
What happened: In Harare on May 9, the Zimbabwean government launched the world’s first blockchain-enabled carbon credit registry, developed by Dubai’s A6 Labs. The immutable ledger will record issuance, trading, and retirement of credits, addressing the fallout from 2023’s abrupt project cancellations and a 50% revenue levy that spooked developers. The new Zimbabwe Carbon Markets Authority (ZCMA) will oversee licensing via the zicma.org.zw portal.
Source: Bloomberg
Analysis & commentary:
Zimbabwe’s registry is an instructive case study in how blockchain can restore transparency and rebuild market trust:
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Immutable Audits: Every credit’s provenance is verifiable on-chain, deterring double-counting and fraud.
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Regulatory Framework: A dedicated authority streamlines approvals, balancing market access with environmental integrity.
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Investor Reassurance: By codifying rules in smart contracts, Zimbabwe signals that future policy shifts will be governed by code, not sudden ministerial edict.
Nonetheless, blockchain is not a panacea. Effective enforcement still depends on reliable on-the-ground measurement and reporting. The real test will be whether smaller African producers—Kenya, Zambia—adopt interoperable registries, creating a pan-continental carbon marketplace.
3. Web3 Innovation Takes Center Stage at Token2049 Dubai
What happened: Between April 30 and May 1, Token2049 Dubai convened industry leaders in the Emirates. Fastex, a platinum sponsor, showcased its Bahamut blockchain (PoSA consensus), the YoWallet custodial solution, and a wave of new apps—YoHealth, YoPhone/YoSIM, YoBlog—all designed to expand Web3 use cases beyond finance. Fastex also co-hosted regulatory forums with Solidus Labs and launched the Bahamut Grants program to seed developer innovation.
Source: Cointelegraph
Analysis & commentary:
Token2049’s Dubai edition highlights an ecosystem maturation where:
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Compliance & Growth Coexist: Legal breakfasts signaled that self-regulation and layered oversight can lower entry barriers without stifling ingenuity.
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Beyond Finance: By unveiling telecom and health apps, Fastex challenges the notion that blockchain is niche—real-world use cases can drive mainstream adoption.
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Brand Ambassadors: Football legend Patrice Evra’s presence at YoHealth’s booth illustrates how cultural icons can amplify blockchain’s reach.
Moving forward, projects must demonstrate measurable end-user utility and scalable infrastructure to avoid the “pilot-only” trap. Dubai’s supportive regulatory sandbox remains an ideal proving ground.
4. 21Shares Launches ETP for Cronos (CRO) – Bridging TradFi and DeFi
What happened: Swiss issuer 21Shares listed a new ETP (CRON) on May 12, offering direct exposure to CRO, the native token of Cronos—a Layer 1 chain built for DeFi, NFTs, and cross-chain interoperability with Ethereum and Cosmos. Investors can now trade CRO through regular brokerages without managing private keys or wallets.
Source: The Paypers
Analysis & commentary:
Tokenizing blockchain assets into regulated ETPs remains one of the most powerful drivers of institutional capital inflows:
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Familiar Interfaces: By packaging CRO as a ticker, 21Shares lowers the learning curve for asset managers and pension funds.
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Regulatory Alignment: ETPs fall under securities law, offering clear governance compared to unregulated spot tokens.
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Ecosystem Growth: Cronos stands to benefit from increased liquidity and brand recognition, which in turn fuels DeFi activity on its network.
ETPs also invite scrutiny: fees, redemption mechanics, and underlying custodial risks must be transparent to preserve investor trust. As competition heats up—with products for BTC, ETH, SOL, and more—issuers will vie on pricing, ease of access, and institutional credibility.
5. The Blockchain Group’s €9.9 M Capital Raise Advances Bitcoin Treasury Strategy
What happened: Europe’s first Bitcoin Treasury Company, The Blockchain Group (ALTBG), completed a €9.888 million capital increase at €1.0932 per share on May 7, 2025. Proceeds will bolster its strategy to accumulate Bitcoin per fully diluted share while expanding consulting and AI-driven blockchain services.
Source: ActusNews via MarketScreener
Analysis & commentary:
The Blockchain Group’s financing round underscores a new corporate paradigm where holding BTC is core to the business model:
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Shareholder Alignment: By tethering equity value to Bitcoin accumulation, management and investors share upside in crypto markets.
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Operational Synergies: Subsidiaries in data intelligence and decentralized consulting can monetize both service fees and on-balance-sheet Bitcoin appreciation.
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Regulatory Compliance: As a publicly listed entity on Euronext Growth Paris, ALTBG navigates EU financial rules, offering a transparent vehicle for crypto exposure.
Yet this approach carries volatility risk: sudden BTC price swings can compress earnings per share and spur shareholder activism. Mitigation strategies—such as hedged derivatives and staggered BTC purchases—will be critical to sustain growth without alarming investors.
Conclusion
Today’s highlights reveal a blockchain industry at once foundational and frontier:
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Security & Scale: Rootstock’s hashrate gains fortify Bitcoin DeFi’s underpinnings.
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Transparent Markets: Zimbabwe’s carbon registry sets a template for blockchain-backed commodity markets.
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Web3 Diversification: Token2049 Dubai shows that true mass adoption demands real-world applications in health, telecom, and beyond.
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Institutional Access: ETPs like CRON democratize token ownership for mainstream investors.
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On-Balance-Sheet Crypto: The Blockchain Group exemplifies the rising class of publicly traded crypto-native firms.
As blockchain extends into supply chains, tokenized securities, and identity, the winners will be those who blend innovative protocol design with pragmatic regulatory alignment. Keep tuning into Blocks & Headlines for tomorrow’s top stories.
The post Blocks & Headlines: Today in Blockchain – May 12, 2025 | Rootstock, Zimbabwe Carbon Registry, Fastex, 21Shares, The Blockchain Group appeared first on News, Events, Advertising Options.
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