ATL228
ATL228: AICPA Blockchain Symposium 2025
Recording Date: October 9, 2025
Release Date: October 17, 2025
Duration: 51:33
Hosts: Randy Johnston and Brian F. Tankersley, CPA.CITP, CGMA
Series: Accounting Technology Lab Podcast
Summary
In this episode of the Accounting Technology Lab, hosts Randy Johnston and Brian F. Tankersley recap their experience at the 2025 AICPA Blockchain Symposium. The conversation explores how regulators, auditors, and financial professionals are navigating the evolving landscape of digital assets, blockchain, and cryptocurrency. Topics include the Clarity Act, regulation of stable coins, decentralized finance (DeFi), DAOs, tokenization, and the interoperability challenges between blockchains. The hosts highlight the tension between privacy and compliance, the growing influence of institutional investors, the complications of upcoming 1099-DA reporting, and the emerging need for CPAs to develop strong AI and data analytics skills for digital asset assurance work.
Key Quotes
- “There’s too much value tied up in crypto—over $4 trillion—for it to just disappear.” — Brian F. Tankersley (02:31)
- “About 20% of crypto and stable coins are fraudulent—but that means 80% are valid. We need to separate the sheep from the goats.” — Randy Johnston (06:34)
- “A DAO is a decentralized autonomous organization—think of it as a self-driving trust.” — Brian F. Tankersley (28:27)
- “A smart contract is neither smart nor a contract—it’s far more limited in the real world than we once thought.” — Randy Johnston (40:11)
- “We’re 17 years post–Satoshi Nakamoto, but it still feels like we’ve just left the port—there’s a long way ahead before digital assets are like cash.” — Brian F. Tankersley (48:46)
Companies and Organizations Mentioned
| Company / Organization | X (Twitter) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AICPA (American Institute of CPAs) | @AICPA | AICPA | AICPA | @AICPA |
| Wall Street Blockchain Alliance | @WSBABlockchain | WSBA | Wall Street Blockchain Alliance | — |
| JP Morgan Chase | @jpmorgan | JPMorgan | JPMorgan Chase | @jpmorgan |
| Liberty City Ventures | @LibertyCityVC | — | Liberty City Ventures | — |
| PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) | @PwC | PwC | PwC | @PwC |
| RSM US LLP | @RSMUSLLP | RSM US LLP | RSM US LLP | @rsmusllp |
| Cohen & Company | @CohenCPA | Cohen & Company | Cohen & Company | — |
| Mazars | @MazarsGroup | Mazars Group | Mazars | @MazarsGroup |
| EisnerAmper | @EisnerAmper | EisnerAmper | EisnerAmper | @eisneramper |
| CBIZ | @CBIZInc | CBIZ | CBIZ | @cbizinc |
See Also
- Accounting Technology Lab Podcast Episodes
- AICPA Digital Assets Working Group
- Blockchain in Accounting
