The relationship between privacy and criminal activity is closely intertwined in the world of cryptocurrency. While some view the ability to selectively reveal or conceal oneself as a human right, it is often exploited by criminals, leading to calls for increased government surveillance. However, this encroaches on the privacy of law-abiding citizens who make up the majority of crypto users.

The lack of default privacy on-chain may be the only thing that regulators and law enforcement agencies find appealing about crypto, despite the tension between the crypto ethos and existing policies. Experts from various fields gathered to discuss how new policies and technologies can balance the competing demands of privacy and transparency.