Crypto.com’s Pires: Institutions are Bullish on DeFi

Diana Pires said she sees a huge demand for regulation across the industry because more companies and institutions need guidance as they come on board.

article-image

Diana Pires, senior vice president of institutional sales at Crypto.com, at DAS NYC; Photo by Mike Lawrence

share
  • “Right now we’re seeing demand across a multitude of products and services,” Pires said
  • “Overall, there’s a huge demand for regulation, we need more guidance across all these ecosystems and products in crypto to ensure we have a healthy balance of institutions that are regulated,” she said

Diana Pires, senior vice president of institutional sales at Crypto.com, joined Blockworks for an interview at our Digital Asset Summit: NYC conference after she spoke during a fireside chat at the event.  

In the interview, Pires shared insight from the conference and talked about: 

  • Demand across the crypto industry  
  • A need for regulation 
  • Bridging the gap between fragmented products and services 
  • Making crypto user friendly and interchangeable

Watch the full interview below and all of the panel videos from DAS here


Are you a UK or EU reader that can’t get enough investor-focused content on digital assets? Join us in London on November 15th and 16th for the Digital Asset Summit (DAS) London. Use code ARTICLE for £75 off your ticket. Buy it now.


Tags

Decoding crypto and the markets. Daily, with Byron Gilliam.

Upcoming Events

Javits Center North | 445 11th Ave

Tues - Thurs, March 24 - 26, 2026

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

recent research

Report Neutrl Cover.png

Research

Neutrl is a synthetic dollar protocol designed to monetize structural inefficiencies in crypto markets, with a particular focus on hedged OTC token arbitrage. By pairing discounted locked-token purchases with delta-neutral hedging, the protocol offers yields that are less dependent on funding rate cycles than traditional cash and carry strategies. Early traction has been strong, with TVL growing from $120M to $210M following the removal of deposit caps, while sNUSD currently yields materially more than competing yield-bearing stablecoins. The key question for Neutrl is scalability: whether access to high-quality OTC deal flow and disciplined liquidity management can support continued TVL growth without compressing returns.

article-image

As Hyperliquid and Lighter battle for perps DEX dominance, Boros could capture the structural upside

article-image

Investors are often right about the future, but wrong about the returns

article-image

A look back at 2025, reflections on our industry, and what it means for Blockworks in 2026

article-image

Hyperliquid’s weekly volume trails newer rivals as a Lighter airdrop looms

article-image

Gold is having its best year since 1979, while many DeFi names are trading near multi-year lows

by Carlos /
article-image

Maple is outperforming peers on growth, yield, and revenue — while benefiting from limited supply overhang and clear value accrual

by Carlos /