Fireside Chat by Eva Wong and Gustav Hemmelmayr

As Web3 moves from experimental phase to mainstream adoption, critical questions about developer protection, navigating global innovation within local legal frameworks, and building revolutionary technology while safeguarding builders become increasingly urgent. This fireside chat will help attendees navigate this transition thoughtfully, building products that push boundaries while protecting the people creating them.
This isn't your typical legal presentation filled with jargon and warnings. Instead, it's a dynamic conversation that bridges the gap between the incredible possibilities of decentralized technology and the practical realities of operating in a world still governed by traditional legal systems.
The conversation will center on two fundamental perspectives that define our Web3 moment:
First, how true decentralization challenges and transforms traditional legal frameworks—exploring whether existing laws can adapt to distributed autonomous systems, whether entirely new regulatory approaches are needed, and examining current developments in this rapidly evolving space. As Web3 technology expands to products and usages, we're triggering mainstream adoption while simultaneously encountering entirely new categories of legal questions that extend far beyond traditional securities law into areas like privacy regulation, consumer protection, contract enforcement, and digital rights.
Second, the critical question of developer liability in decentralized ecosystems—examining how builders can contribute to open protocols and decentralized infrastructure while protecting themselves from legal exposure in an environment where the lines between creator, operator, and user increasingly blur. This discussion will draw on recent high-profile cases like Tornado Cash while highlighting promising developments such as the US Department of Justice's groundbreaking announcement recognizing decentralized technology as inherently non-criminal—a landmark shift that could reshape how we approach Web3 development globally.
This is more than a legal discussion—it's a conversation about the future we're building together.

About the Speakers:
Eva Wong:
On Tornado Cash in Regulatory Rewind: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PzJYOgLMel0
Navigating Developer Liability in Open-Source Code by Eva Wong | Devcon SEA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APCQJY953Q8

Gustav Hemmelmayr:
On Polkadot Decentralization and Regulation in Regulatory Rewind: https://x.com/polkaworld_org/status/1907724457445412987