In the crypto economy, the last few years have been a period of innovation, experimentation and more than a little trepidation. The value of the crypto market skyrocketed to nearly $3 trillion before tumbling again; non-fungible tokens seemed to arrive out of nowhere to capture the imagination of artists, collectors and brands; and blockchain-based applications such as smart contracts began gaining traction.

During this time, Raj Dhamodharan has been leading the Mastercard’s efforts in the space as its global head of crypto and blockchain. He says Mastercard’s role is straightforward: enabling choice by bringing simplicity and safety to the crypto economy.  That may be through crypto card programs where people can instantly convert their crypto to pay at merchants who accept Mastercard, by making it easier for people to buy NFTs, or by helping crypto wallets and exchanges perform identity and fraud checks and understand their risk.

In the wide-ranging conversation with host Vicki Hyman, he also discusses the evolution of blockchain and crypto, the principles the company developed to evaluate crypto opportunities, and the role of regulation in helping the crypto economy realize its potential.