The Definitive List of the Biggest Changemakers in Crypto, Blockchain and Web3. Presented by Bitstamp
Nos. 1 to 15
In an astonishing six months as crypto winter hobbled even well-funded crypto companies, Binance defended its position at the top of all crypto exchanges and took down its $40 billion rival, FTX. That’s why Changpeng Zhao is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
The 30-year-old CEO of FTX shocked the world when his $40 billion crypto empire collapsed last month, with billions in customer assets still unaccounted. That's why Sam Bankman-Fried is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
It was no small task for the hundreds of developers and client teams to build, coordinate, and successfully swap out Ethereum’s core from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake. That’s why Vitalik Buterin and Ethereum developers are among CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
The arrest of a web developer for the now-sanctioned currency mixer Tornado Cash has raised questions about whom states can hold responsible when bad actors use software to commit crimes. That's why Alexey Pertsev is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
Move over, war, famine, pestilence and death. Meet the CEOs of Terraform Labs, Three Arrows Capital, Celsius Network and Voyager Digital. For blowing up crypto, Do Kwon, Su Zhu, Alex Mashinsky and Stephen Ehrlich are four of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
The government of Ukraine has raised an unprecedented $178 million in crypto for its defense. That’s why Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
Blockchain-based algorithmic art is bucking the downward market trend of NFTs and one of the most popular platforms supporting this work is five-year-old Art Blocks. That’s why artist and CEO Erick Calderon is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
Born in the depths of the pandemic, the Vayner3 consultancy has guided many of the biggest mainstream companies into Web3. That’s why Avery Akkineni and Gary Vaynerchuk are two of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
In the year of crypto winter, the critics have been proven right more often than wrong. That’s why Molly White is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
President Joe Biden raised the hopes of the U.S. crypto industry by signing an executive order that directed federal entities to comprehensively regulate the industry. That’s why Carole House, a former White House adviser and one of the order’s chief authors, is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
Yuga Labs has grown beyond the wild success of its Bored Ape Yacht Club collection to become an NFT powerhouse with a $4 billion valuation and big plans in the metaverse. That’s why co-founders Wylie Aronow and Greg Solano and CEO Nicole Muniz share a spot on CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
Words fail when describing the infamous crypto couple who allegedly laundered $4.5 billion. He’s behind bars and she’s put her raunchy rap videos on hold, but Hollywood is calling. That’s why Heather “Razzlekhan” Morgan and Ilya “Dutch” Lichtenstein share a spot on CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
All signs indicate India’s powerful finance minister disdains cryptocurrencies, and now she is setting the G-20 agenda for how the world's economic powers will regulate it. That’s why Nirmala Sitharaman is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
The co-founder of $5.9 billion gaming giant Animoca Brands has made the development of a single, connected virtual world where users can interact across platforms the cornerstone of his investment strategy. That’s why Yat Siu is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
Following his breakout year as an NFT artist, this 19-year old sold a generative art collection of "paint drop" NFTs for $20 million. That’s why FEWOCiOUS is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
Nos. 16 to 50
The European Commission finally passed the EU’s landmark Markets in Crypto Assets framework with buy-in from 27 member states. For pushing MiCA deftly through a complex legislative process, Commissioner Mairead McGuinness is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
For years, the Electric Coin Company has been breaking new ground with zero-knowledge proofs. This year it radically improved privacy on its Zcash protocol, even as the right to use it is under attack. That’s why CEO Zooko Wilcox is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
A16z partner Chris Dixon spent the first half of the year boldly amassing a $4.5 billion fund. But when the crypto industry went upside down, he pivoted to quietly support promising ventures. That’s why he is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
The Bourne trilogy actor’s Crypto.com ad is a proxy for all the cringe-inducing celebrity crypto shills you wish you could unsee. That’s why Matt Damon is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
This anonymous account has been converting TradFi toffs into crypto bros. That’s why BowTied Bull is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
The president of old media’s flagship magazine leaned into Web3 and created new divisions that are rejuvenating the 99-year-old brand. That’s why Keith Grossman is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
After an abhorrent old tweet resurfaced, Brantly Millegan lost leadership roles but kept a key one at the Ethereum Name Service Foundation, demonstrating the limits of cancel culture in self-governing communities. That’s why he is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
Nic Carter, a commentator and venture capitalist, has taken a stand against Bitcoin Maximalism. That’s why he is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
This year alone, Nike, Starbucks, Reddit and many other consumer-focused brands have chosen to partner with Polygon Studios to create their Web3 experiences. That’s why Polygon Studios CEO Ryan Wyatt is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
In the first three months of Reddit's r/NFTsMarketplace, more users opened wallets than all the users on top NFT marketplace OpenSea. That’s why Pali Bhat is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
The actions by the head of the $10 trillion asset management firm say that crypto is ready for mainstream investment. That’s why Larry Fink is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
Arthur Hayes has been many things to crypto over the years: a builder, a showman and a criminal. This year, as the industry collapsed, he’s been a wise commentator for the inexperienced and perplexed. That’s why he is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
The U.S. Congress’ upper chamber has introduced a bipartisan, comprehensive crypto-responsibility bill, with another stablecoin regulations bill on its way. That’s why senators Cynthia Lummis and Kirsten Gillibrand share a spot on CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
Crypto aspires to function without monetary oversight, but this year the U.S. Federal Reserve’s chair proved how far from reality this goal is at a time of high interest rates. That’s why, once again, Jerome Powell is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
The ongoing tug-of-war between the top two federal regulatory agencies keeps the crypto industry on its toes. That’s why Gary Gensler and Rostin Behnam share a spot on CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
The host of the “Up Only” podcast has tracked the scams and issues with crypto in real time, even taking down an inside trader at Coinbase. That’s why Jordan Fish aka Cobie is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
Anticipation for a crypto bill out of the House Financial Services Committee ran so high this year that stablecoin issuers have been trying to meet the bill’s expected standards before the rules are even set. That’s why Rep. Maxine Waters and Rep. Patrick McHenry are two of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
The generative artist raised $17 million in September before his QQL collection was even minted, a highlight amid the NFT market downturn. That’s why Tyler Hobbs is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
David beat Goliath in an Oslo courtroom in September, establishing a legal precedent for the freedom to say a self-proclaimed inventor of Bitcoin is not actually the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto. That’s why Magnus Granath (aka Hodlonaut) and Craig Wright share a spot on CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022 list.
The 26-year-old president of Jump Crypto heads a DeFi juggernaut that’s building key infrastructure and cross-chain bridges, and investing in layer1 blockchains. For running on all cylinders in a year of crypto reckoning, Kanav Kariya is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
The chief bankruptcy judge of the Southern District of New York is learning on the job how crypto complicates bankruptcy law. He has his hands full with Celsius Network, but his caseload could get even bigger in 2023. That’s why Martin Glenn is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
The brains behind Starbucks Rewards, which has 60 million members, is back to design Starbucks Odyssey, a Web3 loyalty program. That's why Adam Brotman is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
The total value locked on the Solana network reached billions of dollars, based in part on sham protocols by two brothers working under multiple aliases. For showing how divorced TVL can be from the truth, Ian and Dylan Macalinao share a spot on CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
Many nations, especially the economic superpowers, began the year in fear of being left behind by China’s relentless progress with its digital yuan. For leading the development of the most advanced major CBDC, Mu Changchun is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
Balaji Srinivasan's thesis of forming countries online underpins a thought-provoking bestseller and maybe a new asset class – earning him a spot on CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022 list.
This pseudonymous Twitter sleuth’s viral exposés of on-chain fraud and wrongdoing helped lead French authorities to arrest a crime ring that stole $2.5 million in Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs. That’s why ZachXBT is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
A pseudonymous NFT collector thinks if the metaverse is inevitable we must do what we can to avoid making it a cyberpunkian hellscape owned by Meta. That’s why Punk6529 is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
Eva Beylin is an investor in, and supporter of, core Ethereum technology through eGirl Capital and is helping to build the Goolge of Web3 at The Graph Foundation. That’s why she is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
Having whistleblowers’ trust made a cranky pseudonymous Twitter account key to the flameout of Terraform Labs and its LUNA token. That’s why FatManTerra is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
The spectacular success of the Merge obscured the stories of those who were left behind, the Ethereum proof-of-work miners who lost their livelihoods. One miner is not letting the crypto community ignore them. That’s why Chandler Guo is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
When 20 year old streetwear brand The Hundreds jumped into Web 3 last year its loyal fans spent upwards of 100 million on its NF Ts This year it canceled its Open Sea drop in a principled stand for creators financial interests That’s why Bobby The Hundreds Kim is one of Coin Desk’s Most Influential [...]
The uncanny, anime-inspired, profile pictures invite conversations about whether the sins of the creator are laid upon the creation. That’s why the Miladys NFT community is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
As finance minister earlier this year he backed measures for regulating stablecoins and boldly declared he would turn the U.K. into an international hub for crypto. Now he’s prime minister and an FTX-scarred industry is watching. That’s why Rishi Sunak is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
Canada’s trucker protest leaders unwittingly taught us that a private citizen in that country can successfully petition a judge to seize someone else’s crypto. That's why Tamara Lich is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
Taking lessons from Napster, Helium Systems CEO envisions a peer-to-peer network powered by the blockchain. The company's market cap rose to $2.5 billion on hopes and promise, but has now fallen. That’s why Amir Haleem is one of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2022.
The artist made a portrait of crypto critic Molly White, and went down the Web3 rabbit hole she opened up.
The Italian artist, a resident of New York City, created a 3D image of Vitalik Buterin and the Ethereum developers for their role orchestrating The Merge, the most consequential upgrade in blockchain history.
The Nigerian artist creates one-of-a-kind images using Microsoft Word. For this season, he depicted Mikhaylo Federov, the Ukrainian official who raised about $200 million in crypto for that country's war effort.
The calligrapher minted an NFT of White House crypto adviser Carole House.
The New York animator tries to display the mystery of Razzlekhan and Lichtenstein, who kicked off this year’s descent into fraud and deception.
The previous programmer creates an image called “The Maestro,” which ties Yat Siu’s music background to his position as a leader in the Asian Web3 gaming industry.
A 23-year-old artist doesn’t want to come across as sympathizing with Sam Bankman-Fried, who lost numerous people’s life savings in FTX's collapse.
The Los Angeles-based photographer captured Gary Vaynerchuk and Vayner3 President Avery Akkineni.
The NFT artist sought to depict the "carelessness and neglect" of the "Four Horsemen of the Cryptocalypse" in his NFT art for CoinDesk's Most Influential 2022.
The artist sought inspiration from Andy Warhol and Tim Burton to create his portrait of Binance’s CEO Changpeng Zhao.
The photographer captured his portrait of Erick Calderon at a Bright Moments NFT art event in Mexico City.
The Edinburgh-based artist uses a combination of technologies and brick-and-mortar traditional values to depict Nirmala Sitharaman, India’s Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs.
The New York-based artist depicted one of the year's NFT success stories – Yuga Labs, the company behind the Bored Ape phenom – for CoinDesk's Most Influential series.
The artist couple collaborated for the first time ever on their painting of Alexey Pertsev, the developer arrested for his role in creating Tornado Cash.
How to generate three dozen portraits for the Most Influential 2022 in about a week? Meet Pixelmind.ai, the app that saved this CoinDesk feature from visual ennui.
