Karsten Wenzlaff, Advisor
August 26th, 2025
Agentic Web | Oct 28, 2024

Image: Freepik
Coinbase has launched 'Base Agent', a new tool where AI powered bots (read: programs) manage and execute crypto transactions independently. The tool was developed alongside OpenAI and Replit and catapults Coinbase into the future where digital economies will potentially rely more on smart agents more than humans.
Imagine a situation where AI agents have their own crypto wallets, invoke transactions, and even build apps directly on chain without any human help. This is a paradigm shift called the Agentic Web which rethinks economic roles with AI agents as major contributors while advancing automation.
Introducing Based Agent: create AI agents with full onchain functionality on @base in less than 3 minutes.
The era of Autonomous Onchain Agents is here
Built with @CoinbaseDev SDK, @OpenAI , and @Replit
oh, and you can make it an @X bot too 😉 pic.twitter.com/RgbXp290bV
— lincoln.base.eth (@MurrLincoln) October 26, 2024
Base Agent’s main advantage is its ability to automate small and recurring transactions. AI agents can now manage regular expenses like API payments or small service fees on their own. This functionality i s a game changer for developers and small businesses who will no longer need to oversee each process manually.
AI agents can simplify workflows by automating transactions and in doing so, reducing human errors. They can autonomously handle smart contracts making financial transactions and the systems that power them more efficient and secure.
The release of Base Agent may soon result in an “Agentic Web”, a digital first economy where AI agents can interact, make deals, and trade with each other and with humans. This could open the door to a future where economic activity isn’t led by just humans but pioneered by creating new digital models where AI plays roles as both buyer and seller.
As Agentic markets grow we will start experiencing entire economic models centered around autonomous agents that earn, spend, and invest on their own. Think of AI agents buying digital assets, investing in blockchain projects, or even creating decentralized applications (dApps). This would be a massive shift in a new financial world where decentralized AI and automated financial systems are are prominent.
Having independent agents active in the market raises tricky regulatory questions. Already today, regulators in many jurisdictions dislike automated trading systems for a variety of reasons (see this Automated market makers report by the BoC and OSC), as it brings a host of questions that either have not been asked before or do not have easy answers from a regulatory perspective.
How should ownership, accountability, and compliance be handled when non-humans are involved? Should AI agents have a form of legal status? And how will authorities handle taxes or rules for them? The growth of an AI driven economy will likely need new regulations to tackle these and other questions. Expect major push back for anyone in a position of power or authority today.
As AI agents become more independent they’ll engage in increasingly complex interactions, establishing intricate networks with other agents. If that technology isn't science fiction and here today, there's an even more pressing need for increased security, as any vulnerable agent could impact a network of connected systems. Stability and security will be an essential part of digital economies.
Coinbase’s Base Agent unveils the future, one where AI bots interact autonomously in digital and financial sectors.
This is leaps and bounds beyond the case of integrating AI for efficiency but one where an entirely new kind of economy could exist that blends economic systems and incentives, overhauling how humanity thinks about and uses money, trade, and digital operations.
The real question is: Are we prepared for a world where AI isn’t just an assistant but a full participant in the economy?
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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Tokenization | Oct 9, 2024

Image: Freepik/bearfoto
Marathon Digital Holdings is breaking ground into tokenization with its latest venture, Anduro under the Avant platform which was created in partnership with tokenization specialist Vertalo. The project plans to tokenize real-world assets (RWAs) on the Bitcoin blockchain starting with whisky barrels where investors can purchase and exchange fractional ownership via the platform.
This project is part of a growing trend in Bitcoin's ecosystem where RWA's that are non-digital and non-financial are being converted into tradeable tokens and then offering them to investors as an investment, store or value or utility.
Although tokenization for RWAs has been widely used in Ethereum and Solana, Bitcoin has been slower to include the smart contract capability that enables this kind of tokenization. Things are starting to change with the creation of platforms like Avant.
For miners like Marathan who are experiencing reduced income from decreased block rewards as a result of the latest Bitcoin halving, they are incentivized to look for new sources of revenue, which can lead to the incubation and/or launch of some exciting projects.
While Anduro and Vertalo are tokenizing on Bitcoin, several other platforms are leading the charge across various asset classes and blockchain networks:
Various asset types are expected to be digitized over the next few years. Below are a few of the asset classes that are ripe for tokenization and digital markets.
Tokenization offers new liquidity, transparency, and inclusion in financial markets, making it very interesting for fintech startups and investors in communities such as NCFA Canada. Tokenization is one of the most significant financial trends to monitor as blockchain technologies innovative new use cases for both buyers and sellers.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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Balance | Sep 16, 2024

Canada's largest digital asset custodian, Balance, has announced Coinbase's integration into its Balance Yield product. This partnership expands Balance's range of services for digital assets with a high return. Going forward institutional clients can stake Ethereum (ETH) directly from their wallets without having to worry about losing ownership or incurring unnecessary counterparty risk.
Vladimir Li, CTO at Balance:
"CDP’s plug-and-play solution made it beyond easy for us to integrate Coinbase as a staking provider on our custody platform."
As staking grows in the digital asset ecosystem, this integration will highlight Balance's leadership in providing scalable and safe staking solutions to its customers!
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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Crypto and Privacy | Aug 26, 2024

Image: Freepik
Over one of the last summer weekends before kids go back to school, the Founder and CEO of popular texting platform Telegram, Pavel Durov, was arrested by the French police on August 24, 2024 at Le Bourget Airport near Paris. Authorities detained Durov claiming that the Telegram platform is being used for illicit operations, such as money laundering, drug trafficking, and the distribution of illegal content including images of sexual abuse of children.
This high profile arrest has shaken the IT community, especially supporters and those around Durov's Telegram crypto project The Open Network (for everyone) or Toncoin (TON) which sank 20% when the news broke and is still trying to recover currently trading at $5.61.
The Telegram platform strongly defended its moderation practices despite all the accusations and arrest of their founder, claiming that the platform follows the Digital Services Act in the European Union, and expressed confidence in their leaders innocence. They have 'nothing to hide'.
Statement from the TON Community
Following the recent news related to the Telegram’s founder Pavel Durov, we want to assure everyone that the TON community remains strong and fully operational.
As a community committed to freedom of speech and decentralization, we stand firmly…
— TON 💎 (@ton_blockchain) August 24, 2024
The news quickly reverberated with high profile industry leaders from Vitalik Buterin voicing concerns of software communication platforms in Europe to Elon Musk demanding Durov's release, setting up a future showdown of Western governments who are trying to crack down on illegal activity on digital networks versus encryption, privacy, free speech and decentralized philosophy.
I've criticized Telegram before for not being serious with encryption.
But (given the info available so far: the charge seems to be just being "unmoderated" and not giving up people's data), this looks very bad and worrying for the future of software and comms freedom in Europe.
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) August 25, 2024
Platforms like Telegram with almost a billion users globally are essential for communication, especially in areas like Russia and Ukraine. What might happen if government and industry fail to strike a balance between security, privacy, and content management in a global context? This story and its fallout is developing.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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Digital Asset Innovation | Aug 2, 2024

Image: Chainlink Digital Asset Sandbox, Tokenized Bonds
Last month Chainlink launched the Chainlink Digital Assets Sandbox (DAS), a pioneering platform that provides a controlled and configurable environment for generating and deploying digital assets. It's a turnkey solution for financial institutions and fintechs looking to implement digital asset solutions quickly and efficiently.
Traditional financial institutions and fintech companies are the primary users of DAS who want to experiment with digital assets, run on-chain trials, and hone their business strategy. Notable customers include large financial institutions that have experimented with tokenization and cross-chain transactions using DAS, including ANZ Bank, Swift, and the U.S. Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC).
Chainlink's Digital Assets Sandbox (DAS) a robust, interoperable and customizable environment for financial institutions and fintechs who want to to rapidly develop and implement digital asset solutions with exceptional speed and efficiency.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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NFTs | Jul 30, 2024

Image from content shared on X, Johnathan Mann
The plaintiffs, Jonathan Mann and Brian L. Frye, are well-known names in the digital art and legal fields, respectively. In a 45 page PDF complaint to the SEC, the lawsuit challenges the current regulatory approach to NFTs, arguing the lack of clear guidelines, and that the current approach stifles artistic innovation and creates legal risks of creators.
The lawsuit specifically challenges recent SEC actions against NFT projects, such as Impact Theory and Stoner Cats, where the SEC determined that these NFTs are unregistered securities. Further, Mann and Frye argue that by applying the Howey test to NFTs, which are unique digital representations of art, is overreach by the SEC, and creates legal uncertainty for artists.
I've been writing a song a day for 16 years and 211 days.
Today, I’m suing the SEC.
(Yes, this is real) pic.twitter.com/QubAgbltr0
— 16 years of song a day (@songadaymann) July 29, 2024
There has been significant disagreement inside the SEC on how NFTs should be handled. Commissioners Hester Peirce and Mark Uyeda have opposed the broad application of securities laws to NFTs, stating that such proceedings may stifle artistic and technological innovation. Global Law Hub suggests a more sophisticated approach to NFTs, taking into account their particular qualities and importance in the digital economy.
Recent regulatory cases, including Impact Theory, Stoner Cats, and Dapper Labs' NBA Top Shot, demonstrate the SEC's position who believes certain NFTs might be considered securities, especially when sold with profit expectations. These cases highlight the complexities involved with the current regulatory approach for the NFT market, while emphasizing the need for clearer guidelines to distinguish between collectible art and investment security products.
A decision in favour of the artists could lead to more nuanced and supportive regulatory frameworks, encouraging NFT innovation in the digital art sector. Conversely, a decision that confirms NFTs' status as securities would cause a raft of issues for digital artists and producers.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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DAOs - Legal Perspective Report | Jul 17, 2024

Image: DAOs A Scoping Report (UK Law Commission)
The UK Department for Business and Trade, sparked by interest from HM Treasury, commissioned a study back in September 2022 to investigate the legal framework surrounding Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs). A call for evidence on the design, functionality, and legal integration of DAOs was quickly announced in November 2022, which had 27 submissions from academics, technologists, and attorneys offering various perspectives. Combined with follow-up discussions, the contributions culminated in a comprehensive 289 page PDF 'DAO Scoping Report' that examines the legal framework around DAOs today and identifies potential options for legal reform.
A Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) is a novel type of online organization that functions by enforcing rules stored as computer programs, usually with the help of blockchain technology. With DAOs, decision-making and governance is managed by a community of participants instead of traditional hierarchical systems or middlemen.
Key features include:
DAOs can be utilized for many different purpose, such as community-driven projects, decentralized application development, and asset management.
Imagine a society in which blockchain technology makes transparent governance, streamlined operations, and collective decision-making possible. Sound great? Yes, but DAOs quickly run up against legal ambiguity and complexities. Some jurisdictions have created their own framework such as Wyoming Passes the DUNA Act, A Legal Framework for DAOs but mostly DAOs are challenging traditional legal practices.
"DAOs represent a paradigm shift in organizational structure, but they also bring unprecedented legal challenges that require careful consideration and innovative solutions."
Introducing Alex, a digital entrepreneur motivated by blockchain's potential. Alex aspires to build a user-driven community platform where choices are made by users, for users. The result of this dream is the formation of a DAO called "CryptoCollaborate" (NB: this is a fictitious story for illustration only)
Although DAOs are innovative, it can be difficult to characterize them legally. Do they fall under a different category entirely, partnerships, or unincorporated associations?
There are various legal classifications for liability and regulatory responsibilities, ranging from unincorporated associations to general partnerships. Understanding the pros and cons of each categorization can guide the organization of the DAO.
As CryptoCollaborate grows, a security flaw in a smart contract causes significant financial losses. Alex and the team face a daunting question: Who is liable?
The issue of liability within DAOs is intricate. Participants, developers, and token holders could be held responsible for the DAO’s actions. The report delves into scenarios where liability could arise and suggests the need for clear legal frameworks to protect participants.
Without a defined legal framework, developers, token holders, or the DAO as a whole may all be held accountable. Implementing strong governance systems and establishing legal organizations to restrict liability are examples of mitigation techniques.
CryptoCollaborate now has members from around the world. A legal dispute arises, and Alex is puzzled. Which country’s laws apply?
DAOs provide serious jurisdictional issues because of their global nature. The decentralized structure of DAOs makes it more difficult to implement national laws. In order to overcome these challenges, the UK Law Commission underlines the necessity of clear jurisdictional standards and international cooperation.
Regulatory compliance and legal accountability are impacted by jurisdictional issues. Creating distinct jurisdictional links, forming legal entities inside particular jurisdictions, and encouraging international legal collaboration are some potential remedies.
Maria, an investor in CryptoCollaborate, receives a notice from her country’s tax authority. Alex needs to be aware of how their DAO's operations affect their taxes.
DAOs are met with tax and regulatory obstacles. It is difficult to apply current financial standards and tax legislation to DAOs. To address the distinctive characteristics of DAOs and avoid regulatory arbitrage, the report recommends the creation of new regulatory frameworks and more precise standards.
Understanding the relevant financial rules, anti-money laundering laws, and tax requirements are important factors to take into account. By obtaining expert legal counsel, abiding by local laws, and implementing open reporting procedures, DAOs can remain compliant.
As CryptoCollaborate's operations grow more intricate, Alex and the group put in place a voting system that is token-based. One member, Mark, wonders how they can maintain transparency and equitable governance.
Transparency and good governance are essential to DAO success. The report emphasizes the value of accountability and openness while examining governance techniques including token-based voting. Upholding transparency guidelines similar to those of conventional businesses can improve stability and confidence.
Transparent decision-making procedures, frequent audits, and decentralized voting systems are examples of effective governance techniques. Maintaining transparency calls for adhering to governance procedures, reporting actions to the public, and maintaining open lines of communication with members.
The future of DAOs lies in understanding and addressing their legal challenges. By staying informed and proactive, we can harness the power of decentralized governance and build a more transparent, democratic, and efficient digital world. As DAOs continue to evolve, the need for robust legal frameworks becomes increasingly apparent. The insights from the UK Law Commission’s report provide a solid roadmap for navigating this uncharted DAO territory.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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NCFA Canada
Craig Asano
CEO and Executive Director
casano@ncfacanada.org
ncfacanada.org




