As stablecoins become a core part of the global financial system, one critical question remains: How do we protect privacy without sacrificing security or compliance?
In this episode of
The Privacy Podcast, host
Ben Schiller welcomes
Yaya Fanusie, Chief Policy Officer at
Aleo and former CIA counterterrorism analyst, for a timely discussion on the future of blockchain privacy.
Yaya shares how his career investigating terrorist financing led him into cryptocurrency policy and why he now believes privacy-preserving technology is essential for both individual freedom and national security. The conversation explores the GENIUS Act, stablecoin adoption, zero-knowledge proofs, regulatory challenges, illicit finance, and why the next major policy debate will focus on protecting consumer privacy in an increasingly digital financial system.
In this episode, you'll learn:
• Why blockchain transparency creates new privacy challenges
• How zero-knowledge technology can balance privacy with regulatory compliance
• What the GENIUS Act means for stablecoins and financial innovation
• Why privacy is becoming a national security issue
• How regulators are beginning to rethink digital identity and financial privacy
• What comes next for blockchain policy and consumer protection
Why This Matters
As stablecoins transition from crypto-native assets into mainstream financial infrastructure, the conversation around blockchain is shifting. The challenge is no longer simply achieving adoption. It's ensuring that privacy, security, and compliance can coexist. This episode explores why privacy may become one of the most important policy issues facing digital finance over the coming decade and what builders, regulators, and institutions need to consider next.
🔗 About the 👤 Guest
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About the Show
The Privacy Podcast by Miden explores the intersection of privacy, identity, and emerging technologies. Hosted by Ben Schiller, the show brings together builders, regulators, and thinkers shaping what comes next in a world where data is power.
Executive Producer Michele Musso
Edited by the
Musso Media Team
Music: licensed.
All rights reserved. ©2026 Musso Media
What is Privacy Podcast?
The Privacy Podcast by Miden explores the future of privacy, identity, and trust in a digital world being reshaped by blockchain and AI.
Hosted by Ben Schiller, The Privacy Podcast dives into one of the most critical questions facing technology today: How do we build a more private, secure, and trustworthy internet?
A former journalist with over a decade of experience covering crypto and emerging technologies, including six years at CoinDesk, Schiller brings a sharp editorial lens to conversations at the intersection of privacy, blockchain, and digital rights.
At its core, this podcast is driven by a simple idea: privacy is not optional. It is foundational to the next phase of the internet.
As blockchain technology moves from experimentation to real-world adoption, privacy becomes essential for onboarding institutions, enabling enterprise use cases, and unlocking the full potential of decentralized systems. At the same time, it addresses a deeper, long-standing issue. The modern internet was built without effective privacy infrastructure, giving rise to what is often described as a surveillance-based economy, where personal data is exchanged for access to services.
This show explores how that model is changing.
Produced by Musso Media, The Privacy Podcast features conversations with leading builders, researchers, policymakers, and thinkers shaping what comes next.