Most Influential 2021: Jerome Powell
The Federal Reserve chairman is likely the most influential man in crypto, as he is in all markets.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is likely the most influential man in crypto. Too bad he hates the stuff. As leader of the U.S. central bank, Powell perpetrated the largest monetary experiment in history in response to the coronavirus crisis – including expanding the supply of U.S. dollars, nearly doubling the Fed’s balance sheet and allowing the economy to “run hot” amid inflation fears. There’s an argument to be had over whether the “easy money” policy caused the run-up in asset valuations that crypto was part of this year. But one thing is for sure: More people than ever bought into the idea of bitcoin as an inflation hedge during this period of unprecedented monetary finagling.
The Complete List: CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2021

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State of the Blockchain 2025

L1 tokens broadly underperformed in 2025 despite a backdrop of regulatory and institutional wins. Explore the key trends defining ten major blockchains below.
What to know:
2025 was defined by a stark divergence: structural progress collided with stagnant price action. Institutional milestones were reached and TVL increased across most major ecosystems, yet the majority of large-cap Layer-1 tokens finished the year with negative or flat returns.
This report analyzes the structural decoupling between network usage and token performance. We examine 10 major blockchain ecosystems, exploring protocol versus application revenues, key ecosystem narratives, mechanics driving institutional adoption, and the trends to watch as we head into 2026.
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EU’s crypto tax reporting starts in January with threat of asset seizure

New directive, which operates alongside MiCA, expands tax data sharing, sets July 1 compliance deadline for exchanges across bloc.
What to know:
- The European Union's tax-reporting directive, effective Jan. 1, mandates crypto-asset service providers to report detailed user and transaction data to national tax authorities.
- The DAC8 rules aim to close tax reporting gaps in the crypto economy, enhancing visibility similar to that of bank accounts and securities.
- Crypto firms have until July 1 to comply with DAC8's reporting requirements, after which non-compliance may result in penalties.












