Mr. Reggie Middleton’s keynote addresses the intersections of cryptocurrency, intellectual property, and Black wealth. He shares his journey as the inventor of DeFi, highlighting his foundational crypto patent and recent $350 million lawsuit against Coinbase to protect his rights. Middleton recounts personal experiences with institutional racism and legal challenges, emphasizing the systemic obstacles Black entrepreneurs face. He critiques traditional socioeconomic class structures, distilling them into two groups: the working class and the capitalist class, underscoring the importance of owning productive assets for wealth accumulation. He stresses the value of patents, intellectual property, and education in building generational wealth and discusses innovative uses of NFTs beyond art speculation. Throughout, Middleton advocates for self-education, legal savvy, and a capitalist mindset to overcome barriers and achieve financial empowerment within the crypto space.
