In this episode, investigative journalist Jake Adelstein (Tokyo Vice) joins Yitzy to discuss his newly published book, The Devil Takes Bitcoin, a front-row narrative of the Mt. Gox collapse, where ~850k bitcoin went missing, and the cast of characters that shaped crypto’s formative years—from exchange founder Mark Karpelès to law-enforcement sleuths and the corrupt agents who derailed the Silk Road case.

We trace Jake’s path from police beat reporting in Japan to human-trafficking investigations, dig into what Jake refers to as Japan's “hostage justice” system, and debate regulation vs. libertarian ideals in crypto.

Enjoy!

Links:

Substack: Tokyo Paladin (Jake’s essays and investigations): https://tokyopaladin.substack.com/

Wikipedia overview (bio, books, and TV adaptation of Tokyo Vice): ⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jake_Adelstein

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Devil-Takes-Bitcoin-Cryptocurrency-Connection/dp/1964992176

X (Twitter): https://x.com/jakeadelstein

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakeadelstein/

In this episode, Yitzy sits down with Jake Chervinsky — currently Chief Legal Officer at Variant, and previously Chief Policy Officer at the Blockchain Association - one of the most recognizable voices in crypto law and policy.

From his early days as a litigator at Baker McKenzie to his transition into crypto Twitter threads, DeFi, and policy advocacy in Washington, Jake’s journey offers an insider’s look at how law, innovation, and regulation collide.

We cover:

• Jake’s path from mock trial competitions to Big Law and eventually into the heart of crypto;

• His move from courtroom litigation to becoming General Counsel at Compound Labs during the early DeFi boom;

• How a viral Bitcoin ETF Twitter thread shifted his career into crypto full-time;

• The behind-the-scenes fight over the 2021 infrastructure bill — and how it marked crypto’s arrival in Washington;

• Lessons from his time as Chief Policy Officer at the Blockchain Association during the FTX fallout;

• His current role at Variant, helping founders navigate the legal and regulatory minefields of building in Web3;

• Jake’s take on the future of stablecoins, the Clarity Act, and why “boring” regulation may actually be a win for the industry.

Whether you’re a lawyer, builder, or policy wonk, this episode is packed with insights on how crypto regulation is shaped — and what’s coming next.

🔗 Follow Jake on X: @jchervinsky

In this episode of Beyond the Code, Yitzy is joined in-studio for the very first time by Ido Bar-On — defense-tech investor, former CBO at XTEND, IDF reservist, and ex-VC at LOOL Ventures.

From scaling a startup to $40M in sales to deploying capital from a bomb shelter during the Iran attack, Ido shares a candid, deeply informed perspective on the intersection of defense, venture capital, and innovation in times of war. The conversation explores:

• Why now is a pivotal moment for defense-tech startups;

• The shifting role of VCs in backing military innovation;

• Risks and rewards of R&D-heavy government funding;

• AI’s real-world use in modern combat (yes, including Raspberry Pi-powered drones);

• And how Israel’s unique ecosystem is shaping the global defense landscape.

We also get personal — from growing up in Jerusalem to reflections on reserve duty, family, and the weight of living in a region where tech, war, and purpose collide.

Whether you're a founder, investor, or just defense-curious, this episode is packed with insight and edge.

In this rollercoaster episode of Beyond the Code, Yitzy Hammer sits down with Samuel Cardillo to uncover the jaw-dropping journey of a self-taught prodigy who went from selling computer viruses at age 9 to co-founding RTFKT, the NFT sneaker company acquired by Nike.

What starts with microphone troubles quickly spirals into a high-speed chronicle of early cybercrime, international arrests, military service in the IDF, intelligence ventures, and creating some of the most iconic digital fashion drops in Web3 history.

Samuel pulls no punches as he walks us through:

• His childhood hacking days and getting arrested at 14 after a televised DDoS stunt;

• The rise and grind of RTFKT, building CloneX with Takashi Murakami, and managing NFT chaos;

• What it really took to land the Nike acquisition—and the stress that came with it;His work in satellite intelligence and geospatial analytics via ShadowBreak;

• The surprising backstory of being married to a UAE princess and his unlikely reserve role in the L.A. Sheriff’s Department;

• Brutally honest political takes on Israel, Gaza, and Middle East diplomacy;

• Why storytelling, utility, and community—not just speculation—must define the next era of NFTs.

A fast-paced, unfiltered episode packed with wild stories, ethical questions, and deep tech reflections.

🔗 Follow Samuel:

• X: @samuelcardillo

• IG: @ledomain

  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelcardillo/

This week on Beyond the Code, Yitzy sits down with one of the most outspoken minds in crypto law: Gabriel Shapiro. Known for his deep legal chops, unfiltered takes, and pioneering work at the intersection of smart contracts and governance, Gabe takes us through his journey—from tech M&A prodigy to crypto lawyer and decentralization maxi.

We dive into:

• Gabe’s early big law career and how Facebook's acquisition of WhatsApp led him down the crypto rabbit hole;

• The real reason “decentralization” became crypto's favorite legal strategy;Why current DAO structures are flawed—and how MetaLex and the Borg concept aim to fix them;

• A deep look at on-chain legal engineering: how entities, trusts, and smart contracts can blend into a new governance paradigm;

• The emergence of $GOR, a meme coin inspired by Gabe himself;

• The state of crypto regulation in the U.S., Trump’s pivot on Bitcoin, and why Gabe’s bullish on the new market structure bill;

• Big law’s limitations in crypto and the rise of agile, crypto-native legal shops;

• Anonymity in crypto—how to build trust without a legal name;

And yes—we talk politics, Israel, identity, and whiskey.

In this episode of Beyond the Code, Yitzy sits down with Aaron Payas — partner at Hassans International Law Firm in Gibraltar, CFA charterholder, and former international footballer. From the early days of Gibraltar’s DLT licensing regime to holding a Bored Ape and co-leading one of the first fully SEC-approved token offerings, Aaron brings a unique blend of legal precision, mathematical logic, and personal passion to everything he touches.

Together, Yitzy and Aaron explore:

• Aaron’s path from math grad to fund lawyer to crypto specialist;

• The rise (and recalibration) of Gibraltar as a blockchain jurisdiction;

• Behind-the-scenes of INX — the first SEC-registered security token offering;

• Why Aaron went deep into NFTs and still proudly displays his Bored Ape;

• The maturing of the tokenization ecosystem — and why it hasn’t scaled yet;

• Honest takes on MiCA, regulatory arbitrage, and how startups should choose jurisdictions;

• How football, legal practice, and crypto law can all be driven by the same thing: passion.

And yes — Spurs fandom makes a guest appearance too.

Follow Aaron on LinkedIn and X (@AaronPayas) for more.

In this episode of Beyond the Code, I’m joined once again by Justin Wales, Head of Legal for the Americas at Crypto.com and author of the Crypto Legal Handbook — now in its newly released second edition.

Justin and I dive into:

• The real-world impact of the SEC's changing posture on crypto enforcement;

• Why version 2 of the Crypto Legal Handbook is more than just a light update — and how it was rewritten to reflect today’s evolving landscape;

• Crypto.com’s legal journey through Wells notices, proactive litigation, and ultimately a no-action letter;

• How the shift in administration is restoring confidence and innovation to the U.S. crypto ecosystem;

• The tension between traditional finance and crypto-native companies;

• Big Law, legal rankings, and why the current system of legal prestige is broken;

• And a candid take on what excites Justin about the future — including AI x crypto, real product innovation, and global regulatory convergence.

We also plug some amazing legal tools like Justin’s AI-powered GPT search tool for the Crypto Legal Handbook and Crystal, the AI platform purpose-built for crypto lawyers.

Whether you’re in-house, in practice, or just trying to understand the regulatory momentum in crypto today, this episode is essential listening.

🎧 Listen now.
📚 Grab the Crypto Legal Handbook v2 on Amazon.
📰 Subscribe to Justin’s newsletter at https://thecryptolegalhandbook.com/.
💬 Follow Justin on LinkedIn for his no-BS takes on crypto law and legal culture.

In this episode of Beyond the Code, I sit down with the brilliant and trailblazing Joni Pirovich — a lawyer, entrepreneur, and the mind behind Crystal, an AI-powered legal tool tailored for the crypto industry.

We trace Joni’s remarkable journey: from growing up on a mango farm in Australia to becoming one of the most forward-thinking crypto lawyers in the space. She shares how her passion for tax reform led her into international law, and eventually into crypto — long before it was cool.

Along the way, we talk about:

🔹 The origin story of bdas'l (pronounced "bedazzle"), her crypto-focused law firm;

🔹 What it was like advocating for blockchain-based tax reform at the OECD;

🔹 The evolution of crypto legal services and why “full stack” lawyering is essential;

🔹 The creation of Crystal — an AI tool trained on global crypto regulation and designed to support lawyers and compliance professionals;

🔹 What makes Crystal different from ChatGPT (hint: it's smarter at crypto);

🔹 Building for privacy, scalability, and the future of agentic compliance;

🔹 Visions of a future with Crystal Companion, an always-on co-pilot for DeFi and legal workflows;

Plus, we dive into the challenges of building in AI, the overlap with legal ethics, and what makes crypto still worth believing in.

Whether you're a lawyer, builder, or investor in the crypto space — this one’s packed with insight.

🎧 Explore Crystal: 💡 https://www.cryptococounsel.com

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👤 Follow Joni on LinkedIn: Joni Pirovich⁠