Home About Media & Credentials Start Here: Clarity to Strategy™ News & Trends Connect
Media & Credentials

The authority institutions call
first.

Dr. Tonya M. Evans is the strategist advisor regulators, financial institutions, and global media turn to when precision on digital asset law and policy is non-negotiable.

27+
Years of legal expertise
50+
Speaking engagements & briefings
4
Countries of active regulatory work
2025
CBN VASP Expert Reviewer

As Seen & Heard On

As seen on: Cheddar News, CoinDesk, Yahoo Finance, Newsy, PBS NewsHour
Professional Credentials

The record speaks for itself.

Federal Judicial Service

Law Clerk, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit — the foundational judicial rigor that shapes every regulatory strategy she architects.

BigLaw Practice

Sophisticated commercial practice at Pepper Hamilton and Drinker Biddle & Reath, spanning intellectual property, wealth management, and transactional law.

U.S. Bar Licensure

Licensed attorney in four U.S. jurisdictions, bringing multi-state regulatory expertise to every engagement.

U.S. Congressional Testimony

Called before the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Digital Assets (2023) — one of a small number of practitioners to provide direct congressional testimony on digital asset policy.

Independent Board Member, Digital Currency Group

Governance, risk management, and institutional decision-making at one of the world's most influential blockchain investment firms (2023–Present).

CBN VASP Expert Reviewer

Invited as External Expert Reviewer for the Central Bank of Nigeria's landmark Virtual Asset Service Provider Regulations (2025) — sovereign-level regulatory development.

First Blockchain Law Program

Pioneered the first Blockchain, Cryptocurrency & Law program at any U.S. law school (2017) — years ahead of the regulatory curve.

Academic Leadership

Tenured Professor at Penn State Dickinson Law (2020–2025); formerly chaired the Maker Ecosystem Growth Foundation (2020–2021).

Global Strategic Practice

Transitioned June 2025 to serving global clients exclusively — central banks, financial institutions, and enterprises across Nigeria, Ghana, Bermuda, and the U.S.

Speaking Record

Selected engagements & briefings.

2026
DNA Legacy Blockchain Brokerage & DOWSERS — Strategic Client EngagementFormal Verification as the New Global Standard for Blockchain Security · Dr. Evans joins as incoming strategic advisor
Strategic Advisory
2025
Digital Assets Summit Africa (DASA 2025) — KeynoteAccra, Ghana · Central bank and institutional leaders across West Africa
Keynote
2025
Central Bank of Nigeria & Regional Regulators — Policy BriefingSeptember 2025 · VASP regulation and digital asset governance frameworks
Regulatory Briefing
2025
Operation HOPE Global Financial Literacy SummitFuture Proofing Crypto Literacy panel · Cooperative economics and digital financial sovereignty
Panel
2024
Texas Department of Banking — Staff Training ConferenceDigital asset oversight and state regulatory frameworks for banking examiners
Training
2023
U.S. House Financial Services Subcommittee on Digital AssetsCongressional testimony on digital asset policy — Washington, D.C.
Congressional Testimony
2023
NCCU Law & Technology Summit — Featured SpeakerEmerging technology regulation and the future of digital asset law
Featured Speaker
Ongoing
Confidently Crypto™ on SiriusXM Financially SpeakingWeekly regulatory analysis and digital asset policy commentary for a national audience
Broadcast
Selected Media & Press

Where the commentary shapes the conversation.

Cheddar News

"The Regulatory Moment: What Institutions Need to Know About Crypto in 2025"

Live interview on the state of U.S. digital asset regulation, the GENIUS Act, and what financial institutions must do now to prepare for the next policy wave.

CoinDesk

"Dr. Evans on Why Africa's VASP Frameworks Are Setting the Global Standard"

Analysis of the CBN's landmark Virtual Asset Service Provider Regulations and the broader implications for emerging market digital finance.

Yahoo Finance

"Stablecoins, CBDCs, and the Race for Digital Financial Sovereignty"

Dr. Evans unpacks the competitive geopolitics behind central bank digital currencies and the strategic implications for private financial institutions.

PBS NewsHour

"Crypto Regulation: Separating Signal from Noise"

Public broadcast commentary on the real-world impact of congressional action on digital asset markets and consumer protections.

Forbes

Regular Contributor: Digital Asset Policy & Fintech Regulation

Ongoing analysis of evolving regulatory frameworks, institutional adoption, and compliance strategy for the world's leading business publication.

SiriusXM · Financially Speaking

"Confidently Crypto™" — Weekly Regulatory Commentary

Nationally broadcast program bringing Dr. Evans' regulatory expertise directly to investors, professionals, and institutions navigating the digital asset landscape.

LinkedIn · Industry Announcement

"DNA Legacy Blockchain Brokerage & DOWSERS Align to Champion Formal Verification as the New Global Standard for Blockchain Security"

The announcement names Dr. Evans as an incoming strategic client — a signal of her expanding advisory footprint at the frontier of blockchain security and institutional compliance.

Publications & Works

The intellectual record.

Digital Money Demystified
Book

Digital Money Demystified

The essential foundation for professionals separating regulatory reality from market hype. Required reading before advising clients or institutions on digital assets, blockchain, and Web3 policy.

Electing Crypto
Book

Electing Crypto

Digital assets in political and regulatory context — how elections, legislation, and policy cycles shape the future of decentralized finance and institutional crypto adoption.

Academic & Policy Scholarship
Academic

Academic & Policy Scholarship

Law review articles, policy white papers, and regulatory analyses spanning intellectual property, digital assets, and emerging fintech frameworks across multiple jurisdictions.

Recent Analysis & Commentary
Forbes

The GENIUS Act: What Stablecoin Legislation Means for Banks, Issuers, and Compliance Teams

Forbes

SEC vs. CFTC: The Jurisdiction War That Will Define Crypto Regulation for a Decade

Forbes

Africa's Digital Asset Regulatory Revolution: Why the Global Benchmark Is Being Set in Lagos

Forbes

Bitcoin Strategic Reserve: The Policy Implications No One Is Talking About

Digital Money Demystified Blog

From VASP Licensing to Cross-Border Compliance: A Framework for Institutions Entering Emerging Markets

Policy Commentary

CBDCs, Stablecoins, and the Future of Monetary Sovereignty in Sub-Saharan Africa

Media & Speaker Inquiries

Book Dr. Evans for your platform or event.

Dr. Evans is available for keynote presentations, expert commentary, panel participation, broadcast interviews, and institutional briefings on digital asset regulation, VASP compliance, and global fintech policy.

All media inquiries and speaker bookings are handled directly through our office. Response within two business days.

Submit a Media or Speaker Inquiry Confidential intake · response within two business days
Format Keynote, Panel, Broadcast, Institutional Briefing
Topics VASP Regulation · CBDC Policy · Cross-Border Compliance · Digital Financial Sovereignty · U.S. Crypto Legislation
Audience Central banks, financial regulators, institutional investors, legal professionals, fintech executives
Travel Available for engagements in the U.S., West Africa, Caribbean, and Europe
Press Kit High-resolution photos, bio copy, and credentials available upon confirmed inquiry