Behind the blocks

Charlie Shrem was atop the cryptocurrency world as CEO of pioneering bitcoin exchange BitInstant when he was arrested for indirectly facilitating drug sales on the dark web. Now post-prison, Shrem talks to Fraud Magazine about his transformation into an evangelist for compliance and regulation in crypto and where he thinks the industry will go next.

In the ever-changing world of cryptocurrency, few figures have experienced the highs and lows of the industry as intensely as Charlie Shrem. In the early days of the bitcoin boom, Shrem emerged as a prominent figure in the community. As the co-founder of early crypto exchange BitInstant, Shrem earned recognition for his pioneering efforts to make bitcoin accessible to the masses. (See “Meet the Bitcoin Millionaires,” by Max Raskin, Bloomberg, April 12, 2013.)