Stephen Alpher

Stephen is CoinDesk's managing editor for Markets. He previously served as managing editor at Seeking Alpha. A native of suburban Washington, D.C., Stephen went to the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, majoring in finance. He holds BTC above CoinDesk’s disclosure threshold of $1,000.

Stephen Alpher

Latest from Stephen Alpher


Finance

Crypto industry experts at Consensus see Asian institutions pivot toward stablecoins

Panelists at the conference discussed how regulatory progress in Hong Kong and Japan creates a structured path for capital allocation.

Consensus Hong Kong

Finance

Bitcoin layer-2 builders pitch BTCFi as the next institutional unlock

Leaders from Citrea, Rootstock Labs and BlockSpaceForce argued that bitcoin’s scaling layers are less about throughput and more about turning the asset into a programmable financial base layer.

Bitcoin layer-2 builders at Consensus Hong Kong 2026 (CoinDesk)

Finance

From stablecoins to biotech: Why YZi Labs is betting on things that haven't happened yet

Ella Zhang of YZi Labs says her firm invests in founders building what doesn’t yet exist, guided by first principles and long-term conviction across AI, biotech and Web3.

Ella Zhang, head of YZi Labs, at Consensus Hong Kong 2026 (CoinDesk)

Finance

Espresso network launches ESP token with 10% airdrop amid Ethereum layer-2 debate

The network transitioned to proof-of-stake and coincides with the rollout of the ESP token, which is used for staking, securing the network and protocol participation.

(Kris Gerhard/Unsplash)

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Finance

How CertiK rebuilt trust after Huione-related backlash

The cybersecurity firm has "no concrete plans" for an IPO despite reports to the contrary last month.

CertiK CEO Ronghui Gu (CertiK)

Policy

U.S. DOJ hits Paxful for $4 million in case tied to illegal sex work, money laundering

The crypto platform's penalty was sharply reduced due to its ability to pay, according to U.S. authorities.

The U.S. Department of Justice grabbed another of the men it alleges moved billions in criminal money at BTC-e.  (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)

Finance

Hong Kong remains committed to digital assets but feels competition from an ‘aggressive’ UAE

Dubai and Abu Dhabi have established a solid regulatory framework for virtual assets, and each region has brought this under the auspices of a single, dedicated regulatory authority.

From left to right, Johnny Ng, founder of web3 investment firm Goldford; Joseph Chan, under secretary for financial services and the Treasury in Hong Kong; Gary Liu, co-founder & CEO Terminal 3 (moderator)

Finance

Ondo and Securitize execs say utility, not hype, will drive tokenization’s next phase

Executives from both firms say the next phase of tokenization must prioritize functionality and compliance during a panel at Consensus in Hong Kong.

Left to right: Graham Ferguson, head of ecosystem at Securitize; Min Lin, managing director of global expansion at Ondo; and Coindesk’s Kris Sandor (Coindesk)

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Policy

SEC's Paul Atkins grilled on crypto enforcement pull-back, including with Justin Sun, Tron

The U.S. agency's chairman said in a House hearing that he's open to a confidential briefing for lawmakers on the topic.

Justin Sun speaks at Consensus Hong Kong (CoinDesk)

Markets

JPMorgan bullish on crypto for rest of year as institutional flows set to drive recovery

After bitcoin fell below its estimated production cost, the bank said stronger fundamentals and rising institutional inflows could lift crypto in 2026.

Credit: quietbits / Shutterstock.com