Hilary Allen

Financial regulation expert and critic of the FinTech and cryptocurrency industries.

Claims

As speaker

Mentioned in

Key positions and views

Blockchain is an inefficient and 'terrible technology' whose primary value proposition is its ability to evade financial regulation, not its technical superiority.

Venture capital firms, particularly Andreessen Horowitz, have artificially constructed the crypto industry and now use immense lobbying power to protect their investments by shaping legislation.

Major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum are functionally Ponzi schemes because they lack any intrinsic backing and their value is entirely dependent on the ability to sell them to new buyers.

The current erosion of U.S. securities laws, driven by the FinTech and crypto industries, is creating systemic financial risk and pushing the U.S. to the brink of a financial crisis.

The narrative of 'innovation' promoted by Silicon Valley is often a rhetorical tool to achieve a deregulatory agenda, analogous to the arguments that led to the 2008 financial crisis.

Podcast consensus on Allen

Points of consensus

▶Hilary Allen consistently argues that venture capital firms, particularly Andreessen Horowitz, have been a primary force in constructing and promoting the cryptocurrency industry, using lobbying and political spending to create a favorable regulatory environment.Apr 2026

▶She repeatedly characterizes blockchain as a fundamentally flawed and inefficient technology, whose main appeal is its current ability to operate outside of traditional financial regulations.Apr 2026

▶Allen's analysis frequently draws parallels between the current 'innovation rhetoric' from Silicon Valley and the deregulatory arguments that preceded the 2008 financial crisis, suggesting a similar build-up of systemic risk.Apr 2026

▶A core tenet of her view is that FinTech and crypto business models, from PayPal to Coinbase, are built on 'regulatory arbitrage'—exploiting loopholes or lobbying to avoid established financial laws like those governing banking deposits and securities exchanges.Apr 2026

Points of debate

▶Allen's assertion that Bitcoin and Ethereum are 'essentially Ponzi schemes' directly contradicts the industry view of them as legitimate, decentralized alternative asset classes with inherent value derived from their network and technology.Apr 2026

▶Her claim that blockchain is a 'terrible technology' and a 'clunky database' is in stark opposition to proponents who view it as a revolutionary innovation for security, transparency, and decentralization in finance and other sectors.Apr 2026

▶The perspective that crypto's primary use cases are illicit payments and gambling is highly contested by the industry, which emphasizes its potential for financial inclusion, decentralized finance (DeFi), and as a store of value.Apr 2026

▶Her speculative claim that members of Congress vote for pro-crypto legislation out of fear of political targeting contrasts with the public position of those politicians, who argue they are fostering innovation and economic growth.Apr 2026

Key themes

▶Regulatory Arbitrage as a Business ModelApr 2026

Allen argues that the FinTech industry, from early players like PayPal to modern crypto exchanges like Coinbase, is foundationally built on exploiting or lobbying against established financial regulations. She posits that their perceived innovation is often just the successful avoidance of laws that govern traditional financial institutions, thereby creating systemic risk.

Analysts should scrutinize the regulatory status of FinTech and crypto companies, as Allen's framework suggests their profitability and viability may be more dependent on a favorable, and potentially temporary, legal environment than on technological superiority.

▶The Venture Capital-Driven Crypto-Lobbying ComplexApr 2026

Allen identifies venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz as a central architect of the crypto industry, challenging the narrative of it being an organic, grassroots movement. She claims that after the 2022 'crypto winter,' the firm pivoted from startup investment to aggressive political spending to codify its influence and protect its portfolio.

Investors should consider the political and lobbying activities of major crypto backers as a key risk factor, as the industry's future may be determined more by legislative outcomes than by market adoption or technical merit.

▶Technological Skepticism and Foundational FlawsApr 2026

Allen expresses deep skepticism about the core technologies underpinning the crypto industry, labeling blockchain as 'terrible' and 'clunky.' She believes major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum lack intrinsic value and function as Ponzi schemes, dependent on a constant influx of new buyers.

This perspective suggests that a due diligence process for crypto-related assets should focus not just on market trends but on a fundamental, critical analysis of the underlying technology's actual utility and efficiency compared to existing systems.

▶Echoes of 2008 and Impending Financial CrisisApr 2026

Allen draws a direct line from the rhetoric used to deregulate complex derivatives before the 2008 financial crisis to the 'innovation' arguments used by Silicon Valley today. She explicitly states that 'all warning indicators are flashing red' for a new crisis, exacerbated by the simultaneous rollback of regulatory oversight.

Her forecast implies that the market may be underpricing systemic risk originating from the less-regulated FinTech and crypto sectors, and that traditional financial institutions' exposure to these areas could be a significant vulnerability.

Source episodes

Timeline

Late 1970s

Allen notes that changes to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) opened the door for pension funds to invest in venture capital, providing a new, significant source of capital for the industry.

Early 2000s (implied)

Cites PayPal, under Peter Thiel's leadership, as establishing a prototype for FinTech regulatory arbitrage by aggressively lobbying to avoid having its customer funds classified as bank deposits.

Pre-2008

Allen uses the deregulation of complex financial derivatives during this period as an analogy for the 'innovation rhetoric' currently being deployed by Silicon Valley to argue against regulation.

2022

Identifies the 'crypto winter' as a key pivot point where Andreessen Horowitz shifted its strategy from primarily funding crypto startups to using its funds for aggressive lobbying and political spending to shape favorable laws.

Present

Allen asserts that the U.S. is currently 'on the brink of a crisis' due to the combination of escalating financial risks and the simultaneous erosion of securities laws and regulatory oversight.

Suggested prompts

How does Hilary Allen's concept of 'regulatory arbitrage' apply to both early FinTech like PayPal and modern crypto firms like Coinbase? &nearr;What evidence supports or refutes Allen's claim that venture capital firms like Andreessen Horowitz are the primary architects of the crypto industry, rather than an organic community? &nearr;Analyze the parallels Allen draws between the 'innovation rhetoric' preceding the 2008 financial crisis and the current discourse surrounding AI and crypto. &nearr;Based on Allen's claims, what specific regulatory changes would be needed to address the systemic risks she identifies in the crypto and FinTech sectors? &nearr;

Key concepts

Crypto Regulation & Lobbying 6 ep Andreessen Horowitz 4 ep FinTech Business Models 3 ep Venture Capital 3 ep US Government & Technology 3 ep Blockchain Technology 2 ep Bitcoin & Ethereum 2 ep Financial Crisis & Systemic Risk 2 ep Coinbase 2 ep

Notable quotes

“I've looked really in detail at blockchain, which is truly, frankly, a terrible technology. It's a clunky database, and it's not something you would ever choose for any kind of financial market infrastructure, but for the fact that it's been very easy to convince regulators not to regulate it.”

Hilary Allen · How AI Could Freeze Progress with Hilary Allen | Masters in Business

“I think we're on the brink of a crisis. But, you know, all warning indicators are flashing red at the same time as we are pulling back all regulatory apparatus.”

Hilary Allen · How AI Could Freeze Progress with Hilary Allen | Masters in Business

“I've talked to people in Congress off the record who have said that they've only voted for these laws because they're afraid that if they don't, that crypto industries will target them.”

Hilary Allen · How AI Could Freeze Progress with Hilary Allen | Masters in Business

“PayPal, from the beginning, was flaunting quite aggressively the banking laws because only banks are allowed to accept deposits... Peter Thiel, from the beginning, was very aggressive on the lobbying to make sure that that was not considered deposit taking.”

Hilary Allen · How AI Could Freeze Progress with Hilary Allen | Masters in Business

Report last updated: Apr 21, 2026

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