Atl229

ATL 229 Episode Summary: AICPA Blockchain Symposium 2025

Podcast: Accounting Technology Lab Hosts: Randy Johnston and Brian F. Tankersley, CPA.CITP, CGMA Recording Date: October 9, 2025 Duration: 51:33

Watch this episode on YouTube or at CPAPracticeAdvisor.com/podcasts.

Summary (100 Words)

In this episode, Randy Johnston and Brian Tankersley recap the 2025 AICPA Blockchain Symposium, highlighting developments in cryptocurrency regulation, stablecoins, decentralized finance (DeFi), and digital asset taxation. They discuss how institutional investors are shaping the crypto landscape, the slow progress on IRS crypto guidance, and emerging CPA audit and assurance standards for blockchain. The conversation explores privacy issues, tokenization challenges, interoperability among blockchains, and the growing need for specialized crypto accounting practices. Johnston and Tankersley emphasize the importance of regulation, education, and realistic expectations as blockchain technology matures within the financial ecosystem.

Key Quotes

• 02:45 – “The good news is the regulators aren’t out looking for things to destroy—the bad news is, we still don’t have a structure for trustable markets.”
• 06:10 – “Fraud accounts for about 20% of crypto and stablecoins, but that means 80% are valid—we’ve got to separate the sheep from the goats.”
• 21:33 – “Stablecoins are like fully backed casino chips—you trade, play, and redeem them, knowing there’s money behind the chips.”
• 40:11 – “A smart contract is neither smart nor a contract—it’s a harsh lesson in how digital doesn’t always match reality.”
• 48:46 – “Even 17 years after Satoshi’s paper, we’re still near the shore—Columbus has set sail, but getting home isn’t for sure.”

Companies, Products, and Organizations Mentioned

Company / Organization	Description	X (Twitter)	Facebook	LinkedIn	Instagram
AICPA	American Institute of CPAs; organizer of Blockchain Symposium	@AICPA	AICPA	AICPA	@aicpa
CPA Practice Advisor	Publisher of Accounting Technology Lab podcast	@CPAPracticeAdv	CPA Practice Advisor	CPA Practice Advisor	@cpapracticeadvisor
Wall Street Blockchain Alliance	Industry organization led by Ron Quaranta	@WSBAorg	WSBA	WSBA	@wsba_org
JP Morgan Chase	Financial institution with its own stablecoin	@jpmorgan	J.P. Morgan	J.P. Morgan	@jpmorgan
Coinbase	Major crypto exchange and data source	@coinbase	Coinbase	Coinbase	@coinbase
RSM US LLP	CPA firm with blockchain assurance work	@RSMUSLLP	RSM US LLP	RSM US LLP	@rsmusllp
PwC	Global accounting firm auditing stablecoins	@PwC	PwC	PwC	@pwc
BlackRock	Institutional crypto investor	@BlackRock	BlackRock	BlackRock	@blackrock
EisnerAmper LLP	Accounting firm active in tokenization	@EisnerAmper	EisnerAmper LLP	EisnerAmper LLP	@eisneramper
Cohen & Company	Accounting firm with crypto tax specialization	@CohenCPA	Cohen & Company	Cohen & Company	—