ABOUT -

Keynote Speaker, Consultant, Author and Renowned Professor

in Intellectual Property and New Technologies

Global Regulatory Strategist & Digital Asset Compliance Advisor

Strategic advisor, keynote speaker, and author serving central banks, institutions, and enterprises globally

Dr. Tonya M. Evans

GLOBAL WEB3 ECONOMY STRATEGIST

Dr. Tonya M. Evans, Esq. is a global regulatory strategist and governance advisor specializing in digital asset frameworks for governments, financial institutions, and enterprises. With 27+ years of legal expertise spanning federal judicial service, BigLaw practice, and policy development, she architects compliance strategies that bridge innovation with regulatory integrity across multi-jurisdictional environments.

As External Expert Reviewer for the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Virtual Asset Service Provider Regulations (2025) and Independent Board Member at Digital Currency Group (2023-present)—one of the world’s most influential blockchain investment firms—Dr. Evans operates at the nexus of regulatory development and institutional governance. She provided U.S. Congressional testimony to the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Digital Assets (2023) and actively advises central banks and regulators across Nigeria, Ghana, Bermuda, and the United States on VASP frameworks and digital asset policy.

Her regulatory intelligence combines ground-level emerging market expertise with sophisticated risk management perspective. Dr. Evans’ career trajectory includes federal judicial clerkship (U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit), BigLaw practice (Pepper Hamilton, Drinker Biddle), and pioneering the first Blockchain, Cryptocurrency & Law program at any U.S. law school (2017).

As author of Digital Money Demystified and Electing Crypto, Forbes contributor on fintech regulation, and host of “Confidently Crypto” on SiriusXM’s Financially Speaking podcast, Dr. Evans translates complex regulatory developments into actionable strategic guidance for institutions navigating the global digital asset landscape.

BEYOND THE BIO

STRATEGIC ADVISOR

Regulatory Intelligence for the Digital Asset Era

Dr. Tonya M. Evans architects compliance frameworks for governments, financial institutions, and enterprises navigating multi-jurisdictional digital asset regulation. With 27+ years bridging federal courts, BigLaw, and global policy development, she delivers regulatory foresight that turns complexity into competitive advantage.

What Sets Her Apart:

External Expert Reviewer for Central Bank of Nigeria’s groundbreaking Virtual Asset Service Provider Regulations (2025)
Active advisory work with central banks across Nigeria, Ghana, Bermuda, and the United States
Independent Board Member at Digital Currency Group, one of the world’s most influential blockchain investment firms
U.S. Congressional testimony on digital asset policy (2023)

Core Services:

VASP framework development and implementation strategy
Institutional governance and risk management for digital asset operations
Regulatory stress-testing and compliance architecture
Cross-jurisdictional policy analysis (EU MiCA, Singapore MAS, UAE VARA, U.S. frameworks)

Industries Served: Central banks, financial institutions, fintech companies, multinational enterprises, government agencies

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Transforming Digital Asset Complexity into Strategic Clarity

Dr. Evans delivers high-impact keynotes that bridge regulatory sophistication with accessible insight. From central bank briefings to international summits, she translates emerging digital asset policy into actionable strategy for decision-makers.

Recent Engagements:

Digital Assets Summit Africa (DASA 2025) — Keynote, Accra, Ghana
Central Bank of Nigeria & Regional Regulators — Policy Briefing (September 2025)
Texas Department of Banking — Staff Training Conference
NCCU Law & Technology Summit — Featured Speaker

Signature Topics:

From Prohibition to Innovation: Africa’s regulatory transformation in digital assets
Cooperative Economics Meets Crypto: Building financial systems that serve communities
Managed Innovation: Balancing technological advancement with prudent oversight
Smart Contracts & AI: The intersection reshaping compliance and governance
The Future of Money: CBDCs, stablecoins, and digital financial sovereignty

Audience Impact: Dr. Evans combines powerful soundbites with real-world case studies, avoiding hypotheticals for verified examples. Her presentations leave audiences with frameworks they can implement immediately.

Author & THOUGHT LEADER

Translating Regulatory Evolution into Strategic Advantage

As author, Forbes contributor, and podcast host, Dr. Evans makes digital asset regulation accessible without sacrificing depth. Her work serves as essential reading for institutions navigating the intersection of innovation and compliance.

Publications:

Digital Money Demystified — Comprehensive guide to digital assets, blockchain, and Web3 policy
Electing Crypto — Analysis of digital assets in political and regulatory contexts
Forbes Contributor — Regular analysis of fintech regulation and digital asset policy
Confidently Crypto Podcast (SiriusXM’s Financially Speaking) — Weekly insights on regulatory developments

Frameworks & Methodologies:

Web3 Ready™ Assessment — Institutional readiness evaluation for digital asset adoption
Cooperative Economics of Crypto — Community-first finance principles for digital markets
Strategy Playbook for VASP Readiness — From mobile money to crypto regulation

Academic Foundation: Pioneered the first Blockchain, Cryptocurrency & Law Online Certificate Program at any U.S. law school (2017). Her interdisciplinary research at Penn State’s Institute for Computational & Data Sciences established foundational frameworks for DeFi, DAOs, and Web3 policy.

LEGAL ARCHITECT

27+ Years Building Bridges Between Innovation and Integrity

Dr. Evans’ career trajectory uniquely positions her to design regulatory strategies that protect institutions while enabling innovation across complex multi-jurisdictional environments.

Career Milestones:

Federal Judicial Service: Law Clerk, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
BigLaw Excellence: Pepper Hamilton, Drinker Biddle (sophisticated commercial practice)
Private Practice: Intellectual property and wealth management specialization
Academic Leadership: Tenured professor (2020-2025), Penn State Dickinson Law
Full-Time Strategic Practice: Transitioned June 2025 to serve global clients exclusively

Governance Experience:

Independent Board Member, Digital Currency Group (2023-present)
Former Chair, Maker Ecosystem Growth Foundation (2020-2021)
Licensed attorney in four U.S. jurisdictions

Emerging Market Intelligence: As a member of the diaspora who recently returned to Ghana as the first family member since ancestors were taken during the Middle Passage, Dr. Evans brings deeply personal commitment to Africa’s digital financial sovereignty alongside sophisticated regulatory expertise.

Her Approach: Combines judicial rigor, transactional sophistication, and policy innovation to deliver solutions institutions can trust and regulators can support.