Crypto, Explained by the National Cryptocurrency Association

National Cryptocurrency Association
  • 5.0 (10)
  • Investing
  • Updated Weekly

Let's be real — most people feel lost when it comes to crypto. The language sounds like another planet, the research feels overwhelming, and the loudest voices often make it seem like you need to be in finance or deep in the tech world just to keep up. But here's the truth: crypto isn't just for experts or insiders — it's for you. Whether you're crypto-curious, crypto-confused, or somewhere in between, this is your space to see how crypto can actually fit into your everyday life. Each week we'll break it down, keep it simple, and help you become crypto confident.

  1. 4d ago

    34: A New Way to Access Crypto: Digital Asset Treasuries with Asheesh Birla

    For more than a decade, blockchain has come with a lot of promises about what it could do someday. This episode is about what it is actually doing right now. In this episode of Crypto, Explained, host Ali Tager sits down with Asheesh Birla, CEO of Evernorth, a digital asset treasury focused on XRP that is preparing to go public. Asheesh has spent 13 years at the intersection of blockchain infrastructure and institutional finance, including a long run at Ripple, so he has watched this shift happen from the inside. Ali and Asheesh start with what blockchain actually delivers today once you strip away the theory. Asheesh explains the core idea in plain terms, that the technology lets you remove the middleman and trust the network instead, then walks through tokenization, the standardizing of real-world assets like bonds, equities, and property so they can move freely. He notes there is now roughly 300 billion dollars in stablecoins circulating, with more than half of it sitting outside the US, mostly in emerging markets where financial access is harder to come by. The heart of the conversation is digital asset treasuries, or DATs. Ali builds the picture from the original story most people know, Michael Saylor's company converting its corporate treasury into Bitcoin in 2020, and Asheesh explains what a DAT actually is: a regulated, audited, publicly traded way to get exposure to an asset like XRP without buying and custodying it yourself. He draws the line between passive treasuries and what Evernorth is building, an active treasury meant to be a steward of the XRP ecosystem, putting its balance sheet to work through lending and liquidity rather than just letting it sit. The throughline is what all of this means for everyday people. Ali cites the NCA's 2026 State of Crypto Holder report, which found that a quarter of American adults now hold crypto, up from one in five last year, and that the share actively using it roughly doubled. The takeaway is simple. This shift is not theoretical anymore. It happens quietly, in filings and boardrooms, and then one day a category that did not exist is just a normal part of the markets we already use. What We Discuss: 0:00 – Intro: What is blockchain actually doing today?1:04 – Stablecoins, tokenized assets & real-world impact2:35 – Blockchain benefits most people don't understand5:47 – What are digital asset treasuries (DATs)?14:44 – What is a tokenized asset in plain English?27:09 – Why XRP? Aashish's 13-year thesis43:09 – Traditional treasury vs. digital asset treasury47:04 – The DAT category explained: passive vs. active Learn more about the National Cryptocurrency Association (NCA):Website: https://nca.org X: @natcryptoassoc Instagram: @natcryptoassoc TikTok: @natcryptoassoc LinkedIn: National Cryptocurrency Association Facebook: National Cryptocurrency Association Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice.

    50 min

  2. Jun 10

    33: Crypto Policy Explained: What You Need to Know with Zunera Mazhar

    For a long time, the honest answer to "how is crypto regulated in the United States?" was some version of "it's complicated, it's evolving, the rules aren't clear yet." That answer is finally starting to change. In this episode of Crypto, Explained, host Ali Tager sits down with Zunera Mazhar, VP of Policy and Government Affairs at The Digital Chamber, to make sense of where crypto policy actually stands right now. Zunera spent more than two decades across banking and government, including serving at the FDIC as its first Deputy Chief Innovation Officer, so she has watched this shift happen from the inside. Ali and Zunera start with the headline most people have missed: real legislation is moving. The CLARITY Act, the market structure bill that aims to settle who regulates what, cleared the Senate Banking Committee in a bipartisan 15 to 9 vote, and the industry is hopeful it will pass. They also cover the news that crypto derivatives are coming back onshore, and what that means for the billions in liquidity that returns to the U.S. From there, Zunera takes on the biggest misconception she hears, that crypto does not want to be regulated. Coming from a regulator background, she explains why the opposite is true, and why the industry has been asking for clear rules all along. The conversation breaks down why the SEC and the CFTC treat crypto so differently, why Bitcoin gets classified as a commodity while many other tokens look more like securities, and how a tokenized money market fund is closer than you think. The throughline is what all of this means for everyday people. Ali and Zunera talk through the nearly 20 percent of U.S. adults who are unbanked or underbanked, how blockchain solved real access problems overseas before regulation ever caught up, and how someone nervous about getting started can take it slow. The takeaway is simple. Crypto policy in the U.S. is evolving, not disappearing. The space is maturing, not fading. And the people who take the time to understand what is actually happening are the ones who will feel most confident navigating it. What We Discuss: ⁠0:00⁠ - Intro & Clip: The Crypto Industry DOES Want Regulation ⁠ 1:01⁠ - The State of Crypto Policy in America ⁠ 2:29⁠ - Guest Intro: Zunera Mazar, VP of Policy at the Digital Chamber ⁠ 3:11⁠ - Zunera's Background & The Digital Chamber ⁠ 5:09⁠ - What Is MiCA? (EU Crypto Regulation Explained) ⁠ 6:01⁠ - Where US Crypto Regulation Stands Today (May 2026) ⁠ 8:18⁠ - Perps Coming Onshore: Historic CFTC Move ⁠ 14:07⁠ - Biggest Misconceptions About Crypto Regulation ⁠ 14:07⁠ - SEC vs. CFTC: What's the Difference? ⁠ 16:57⁠ - What Everyday Crypto Holders Need to Know ⁠ 30:14⁠ - Are Policymakers Informed or Playing Catch-Up? ⁠ 31:16⁠ - How Policy Will Impact Everyday People (Not Just Institutions) ⁠ 36:34⁠ - Crypto Risks & Benefits Often Overlooked ⁠ 42:40⁠ - Will the CLARITY Act Bring Innovation Back to America? ⁠ 45:32⁠ - Global Crypto Regulation Progress ⁠ 47:52⁠ - Where We're Over-Complicating Crypto Policy ⁠ 49:36⁠ - One Piece of Advice for Crypto Newbies Learn more about the National Cryptocurrency Association (NCA):Website: https://nca.org X: @natcryptoassoc Instagram: @natcryptoassoc TikTok: @natcryptoassoc LinkedIn: National Cryptocurrency Association Facebook: National Cryptocurrency Association Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice.

    54 min

  3. Jun 3

    32: Decoding the 5 Most Common Crypto Assets

    If you've ever sat through a crypto conversation feeling like everyone else got handed a glossary you didn't, you're not alone. Terms like altcoin, memecoin, NFT, and ETF get tossed around constantly, but the truth is they're all just different flavors of the same world. In this episode of Crypto, Explained, host Ali Tager pulls together five of the most common digital asset types and lines them up side by side so you can finally see the full picture. We start with the difference between a coin and a token, two terms that get used interchangeably but actually describe different things. A coin runs on its own blockchain, like Bitcoin on the Bitcoin network or XRP on the XRP Ledger, while a token lives on top of an existing one, more like an app running on an iPhone's operating system. From there, we unpack NFTs, the one-of-a-kind digital assets that can't be swapped one-for-one, and why their use cases now stretch far beyond digital art into tickets, credentials, ownership records, and in-game items. We also dig into memecoins, a more volatile and culture-driven corner of crypto, and why they are often a first introduction to the space but also the area where new holders need to be the most careful. The conversation rounds out with altcoins, the catch-all term for any cryptocurrency that isn't Bitcoin, and ETFs, which aren't actually a type of crypto at all but a traditional investment product that holds crypto on your behalf. By the end, you'll have a clear mental map of how these assets relate to one another, and the confidence to keep up the next time these terms come up in conversation. What We Discuss: [0:00] Intro [0:32] What is a crypto asset? [1:37] Today's 5 terms overview [1:37] Term 1: Token vs. Coin [2:41] Term 2: NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) [3:43] Term 3: Meme Coins [4:52] Term 4: Altcoins [6:09] Term 5: ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) [7:24] Recap Learn more about the National Cryptocurrency Association (NCA): Website: https://nca.org X: @natcryptoassoc Instagram: @natcryptoassoc TikTok: @natcryptoassoc LinkedIn: National Cryptocurrency Association Facebook: National Cryptocurrency Association Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice.

    9 min
  4. 31: The Surprising Way Ranchers Are Using Blockchain

    May 27

    31: The Surprising Way Ranchers Are Using Blockchain

    When you think about crypto, the first thing that comes to mind probably isn't cattle ranching. But that is exactly where some of the most interesting real-world blockchain use cases are happening right now. In this episode of Crypto, Explained, host Ali Tager sits down with Rob Jennings, President and Co-founder of CattleProof Verified, and Dr. Evan Whitley, Executive Director of Agriculture and Natural Resources for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. CattleProof Verified is the first and only USDA-certified Process Verified Program that uses blockchain tech to create a trusted, audit-ready digital record of an animal's full story, from the pasture it was born into to the grocery store it ends up in. Rob and Evan walk through the problem blockchain technology actually solves. For decades, ranchers in the "cattle breadbasket" of America have been paid commodity prices for premium cattle because their story could not be verified at scale. Now by logging each animal's data onto a blockchain through tamper-resistant electronic ID tags, CattleProof creates an immutable, individual record for every animal, not just a group certificate that anyone could photocopy. From there, the conversation goes deeper into what changes on the ground. Choctaw Nation runs seven ranches across 65,000 acres and 2,500 cows, and Evan explains why adopting the system added almost no friction to their existing workflow. We also dig into the broader implications: faster disease traceability for food safety outbreaks, new export opportunities for small and medium producers, and how blockchain-based payments could eventually help ranchers settle faster, access better loan rates, and finally get paid what their work is worth. Rob and Evan close on a bigger idea. Blockchain is not just for finance or speculation. It is a railroad that can carry value and information for any industry, and cattle ranching is one of the clearest, most grounded examples of that already working in the real world. What We Discuss: (0:00) – Intro & episode teaser (0:19) – Welcome to Crypto Explained (1:09) – From ranch to grocery store: the blockchain journey (1:49) – Ranchers as unexpected blockchain pioneers (2:30) – Meet the guests: Rob Jennings & Dr. Evan Whitley (5:01) – What is provenance & why does it matter? (18:44) – Consumer trends: transparency & trust in beef (26:07) – How fraud enters the supply chain (33:08) – Day-to-day impact on ranchers (50:18) – Lightning round & key takeaways Learn more about the National Cryptocurrency Association (NCA): Website: https://nca.org X: @natcryptoassoc Instagram: @natcryptoassoc TikTok: @natcryptoassoc LinkedIn: National Cryptocurrency Association Facebook: National Cryptocurrency Association Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice.

    56 min
  5. 30: Crypto Safety Explained: What the FBI Wants You to Know

    May 20

    30: Crypto Safety Explained: What the FBI Wants You to Know

    Most online safety advice falls into one of two camps. It is either too vague to be useful, or so overwhelming that you tune it out before you can act on it. The truth sits somewhere in the middle. In this episode of Crypto, Explained, host Ali Tager sits down with Patrick Wyman, Chief of the Virtual Assets Unit at the FBI, and Travis Wiehn, Supervisory Special Agent at the FBI, for a candid conversation about what online scams actually look like in 2026 and the small set of habits that protect against most of them. The Virtual Assets Unit was established in 2022 as the FBI's dedicated team for crypto and digital asset cases, and Patrick and Travis walk through what their work really looks like, from tracing illicit value on the blockchain to freezing assets and returning them to victims. The conversation gets practical fast. Travis lays out three foundational habits anyone can build: delete the suspicious wrong-number texts, ignore unsolicited investment DMs, and always go directly to your platform rather than clicking links in emails. Patrick reinforces it with the FBI's Take a Beat campaign, built around the simple act of pausing before reacting to anything urgent. We also dig into how AI is reshaping the threat landscape, from deepfakes and voice cloning to grandparent emergency scams that sound real. From there, the conversation turns to the harder topics: how to talk to aging parents and kids about scams, the value of a family code word, and what the Internet Crime Complaint Centers (IC3) 2025 report reveals about where these crimes are headed. Patrick and Travis explain why reporting still matters even when results take time. What We Discuss: (0:00) - Intro & teaser (deepfake/LinkedIn story) (0:30) - Welcome & episode overview: Crypto scams (2:37) - Introducing guests: FBI's Virtual Asset Unit (2:38) - What is the FBI Virtual Asset Unit? (Patrick) (9:18) - Day-to-day casework at the VAU (Travis) (14:47) - What do you wish more people knew about this work? (20:47) - What does staying safe online actually look like? (22:05) - Top 2-3 foundational habits to stay safe online (28:48) - Social media & AI deepfake risks (37:07) - Protecting aging parents & family conversations (42:22) - IC3 Annual Report & scam data breakdown (48:07) - #1 most common scam: Investment/crypto fraud (55:02) - Closing on an optimistic note Learn more about the National Cryptocurrency Association (NCA): Website: https://nca.org X: @natcryptoassoc Instagram: @natcryptoassoc TikTok: @natcryptoassoc LinkedIn: National Cryptocurrency Association Facebook: National Cryptocurrency Association Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice.

    1h 1m
  6. 29: Who Uses Crypto, Really? with Stu Alderoty

    May 13

    29: Who Uses Crypto, Really? with Stu Alderoty

    Two years ago, the picture of a typical crypto holder was a 25-year-old guy in his mom's basement, chasing meme coins and dreaming of a Lambo. The data today tells a very different story. In this episode of Crypto, Explained, host Ali Tager sits down with returning co-host Stu Alderoty, President of the National Cryptocurrency Association and Chief Legal Officer at Ripple, to unpack the brand new 2026 State of Crypto Holders Report. Last year's headline was 1 in 5 American adults. This year it is 1 in 4, with more than 67 million U.S. adults holding crypto. Ali and Stu walk through who these new holders actually are, and the picture is nothing like the common stereotype. Construction workers outpace finance professionals, more than a quarter of holders earn under $75,000 a year, and 28 percent are 55 or older. We also dig into what they are doing with their crypto, from sending money to friends and family to paying for everyday goods, and why the data shows people are using it, not just holding it. From there, the conversation turns to the why behind the shift. Financial independence, personal growth, and the excitement of being part of something innovative are all up year over year, signaling that the motivation has moved from getting rich quick to building something for yourself. Stu also draws on his decades in traditional finance to explain why the line between TradFi and crypto is blurring, and why regulation may be the last domino for the crypto-curious still on the sidelines. What We Discuss: (0:00) – Intro: Crypto's normalization moment (cell phones vs. crypto comparison) (0:32) – The old image of crypto: who people thought was using it (1:44) – "Something is happening" – not a craze, a structural shift (2:36) – Interview begins with Stu Alderoty (NCA / Ripple) (2:52) – The big headline: 1 in 4 Americans now own crypto (12:55) – Who actually owns crypto? The surprising demographic breakdown (17:01) – Manufacturing workers & blue collar crypto usage data (20:18) – How people are actually using crypto (sending, spending, businesses) (23:45) – Why people use crypto: financial independence up to 54% (36:21) – Crypto holders see it as established & integrated into traditional finance (39:13) – The biggest hurdles before crypto becomes truly seamless (41:15) – Access, education & confidence: what needs to happen next (46:17) – "Knowledge equals trust" – how to get started with crypto Learn more about the National Cryptocurrency Association (NCA): Website: https://nca.org X: @natcryptoassoc Instagram: @natcryptoassoc TikTok: @natcryptoassoc LinkedIn: National Cryptocurrency Association Facebook: National Cryptocurrency Association Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice.

    51 min
  7. 28: Behind Every Transaction: How Crypto Really Works

    May 6

    28: Behind Every Transaction: How Crypto Really Works

    Ever nodded along when someone mentioned gas fees or layer twos, secretly hoping no one would ask you to explain? You are definitely not alone. The truth is, once you understand how crypto actually moves from one person to another, a lot of the mystery disappears. In this episode of Crypto, Explained, host Ali Tager walks through the four concepts that explain how crypto moves under the hood, giving you the vocabulary to follow along in any conversation. We start with gas fees, the small cost of asking a global network of computers to process and verify your transaction, and why those fees go to the people running the network rather than any middleman or company. From there, we unpack on-chain versus off-chain transactions, using a simple bar tab analogy to show why some transactions are recorded permanently on the blockchain while others happen faster and cheaper outside of it. We also explore layer two networks like Lightning, Arbitrum, and Optimism, which sit on top of the main blockchain to move transactions faster and at a lower cost, and why this is where a lot of the real crypto innovation is happening today. Finally, we cover block explorers, the free public search engines that let anyone look up any transaction, wallet, or block in real time. By the end, you will have a clearer picture of what actually happens when crypto goes from point A to point B, and the confidence to keep up when these terms come up in conversation. What We Discuss: (0:00) Intro (1:20) Gas Fees (2:55) On-Chain vs Off-Chain (3:56) Layer Two (5:38) Block Explorer (6:57) Recap & Outro Learn more about the National Cryptocurrency Association (NCA): Website: https://nca.org X: @natcryptoassoc Instagram: @natcryptoassoc TikTok: @natcryptoassoc LinkedIn: National Cryptocurrency Association Facebook: National Cryptocurrency Association Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice.

    9 min
  8. 27: The Latest In Crypto: Breaking Down Recent Headlines

    Apr 29

    27: The Latest In Crypto: Breaking Down Recent Headlines

    Crypto headlines can feel overwhelming, full of noise, strong opinions, and confusing signals. This episode breaks them down into simple, clear takeaways so you can understand what is actually happening and what is worth paying attention to. In this episode of Crypto, Explained, we unpack the biggest crypto headlines shaping the space right now. We break down media skepticism through the Ben McKenzie documentary, PayPal expanding its PYUSD stablecoin globally, banks like Wells Fargo exploring digital dollars, and how companies like Mastercard are integrating blockchain into everyday payment systems. We also explore what these stories signal about where crypto is heading, from stablecoins becoming part of global financial infrastructure to the early connection between AI and crypto through automated payments and new digital systems. Ali is the approachable, curious voice behind Crypto, Explained, helping beginners make sense of crypto in plain English so they can feel confident, capable, and included as they learn how crypto can fit into everyday life. What We Discuss: (00:45) Breaking Down Crypto Headlines in Plain English (01:40) Headline 1: Media Skepticism and the Benjamin McKenzie Documentary (04:26) Headline 2: PayPal Expands PYUSD to 70 Markets (07:14) Headline 3: Wells Fargo and the WFUSD Digital Dollar Signal (09:15) Headline 4: Mastercard Crypto Partner Program (12:08) Headline 5: AI and Crypto with Agentic Payments (15:24) Headline 6: Tether Expands Beyond Crypto (16:49) The Big Shift: Crypto Moving Into the Mainstream    Learn more about the National Cryptocurrency Association (NCA): Website: https://nca.org X: @natcryptoassoc Instagram: @natcryptoassoc TikTok: @natcryptoassoc LinkedIn: National Cryptocurrency Association Facebook: National Cryptocurrency Association   Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice.

    18 min
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About

Let's be real — most people feel lost when it comes to crypto. The language sounds like another planet, the research feels overwhelming, and the loudest voices often make it seem like you need to be in finance or deep in the tech world just to keep up. But here's the truth: crypto isn't just for experts or insiders — it's for you. Whether you're crypto-curious, crypto-confused, or somewhere in between, this is your space to see how crypto can actually fit into your everyday life. Each week we'll break it down, keep it simple, and help you become crypto confident.

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