Have you heard terms like Economic Statecraft, Jurisdictional Arbitrage or Axis of Evasion and wondered what they meant or how they applied to cryptocurrency and sanctions? Well, in this episode, Eitan Danon (Content Marketing Manager Chainalysis ) demystifies these terms and their impact on the global economy with guest Kimberly Donovan (Director, Economic Statecraft Initiative, Atlantic Council ). She examines the evolving landscape of blockchain, sanctions, and global finance and explains her journey from the federal government to becoming a leading voice in national security and digital currencies. She explains how cryptocurrency is being used at a global scale, particularly among countries under sanction and dives deep into the research behind the "axis of evasion," highlighting the increasing use of blockchain to circumvent international sanctions. Kim also underscores the importance of AML and CFT to deter illicit actors from utilizing jurisdictional arbitrage and connecting their financial networks, which has been leading to weakened USA oversight and economic sanctioning powers. Minute-by-minute episode breakdown 2 | Kim Donovan's journey From government to crypto regulation 4 | The Axis of Evasion: Crypto's role in sanctions evasion by Russia 9 | Crypto's impact on global trade and sanctions 15 | Blockchain analytics and the need for accessible compliance tools 20 | Sanctions, alliances and global economic risks 23 | Cash is still king for terrorist financiers and illicit financial activities 27 | The Economic Statecraft Initiative and global financial inclusion Related resources Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key. Website: Atlantic Council: Nonpartisan organization that galvanizes US leadership and worldwide engagement, in collaboration with allies and partners, to shape solutions to global challenges. Article: Kimberly Donovan testifies to the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission on the Axis of Autocracy Event: The age of economic warfare: Behind US sanctions against Russia, China, and Iran (Tues. March 18 - 11am EST) Video: The future of economic statecraft with Kim Donovan and Daleep Singh Report: The Chainalysis 2025 Crypto Crime Report (Download Your Copy Today) Conference: Chainalysis Links NYC (April 1 & 2, 2025) * Get Tickets Now! Blog: OFAC Designates Iran-based Darknet Marketplace Administrator with 49 Cryptocurrency Addresses for Facilitating Fentanyl Sales Blog: Russia’s Cryptocurrency Pivot: Legislated Sanctions Evasion YouTube: Chainalysis YouTube page Twitter: Chainalysis Twitter: Building trust in blockchain Telegram: Chainalysis on Telegram Speakers on today’s episode Eitan Danon *Host* (Content Marketing Manager Chainalysis ) Kimberly Donovan (Director, Economic Statecraft Initiative, Atlantic Council ) This website may contain links to third-party sites that are not under the control of Chainalysis, Inc. or its affiliates (collectively “Chainalysis”). Access to such information does not imply association with, endorsement of, approval of, or recommendation by Chainalysis of the site or its operators, and Chainalysis is not responsible for the products, services, or other content hosted therein. Our podcasts are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to provide legal, tax, financial, or investment advice. Listeners should consult their own advisors before making these types of decisions. Chainalysis has no responsibility or liability for any decision made or any other acts or omissions in connection with your use of this material. Chainalysis does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of the information in any particular podcast and will not be responsible for any claim attributable to errors, omissions, or other inaccuracies of any part of such material. Unless stated otherwise, reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Chainalysis. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by Chainalysis employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company.
