Event Recap – Out East Summit, Presented by The Tie

On July 21–23, 2025, The Tie hosted Out East Summit — a private, invitation-only gathering of 300 of the most influential executives in institutional digital assets.

Held at a private vineyard on Long Island’s North Fork, this three-day experience was designed to cultivate meaningful relationships and deepen collaboration across the crypto industry’s leadership.

The summit brought together founders and partners from top traditional and crypto-native funds, heads of digital assets at major banks and asset managers, C-suite executives from leading exchanges and trading venues, regulators, and protocol founders shaping the future of finance.

Featuring fireside chats, expert panels, wine tastings, and curated networking moments, Out East Summit offered a unique environment for strategic conversations and long-term relationship building.

Over the course of 21 panels and countless networking opportunities, several clear themes emerged—each reflecting where institutional crypto is heading and what’s top of mind for its most influential leaders.

Strategy CEO Phong Le’s fireside chat underscored a bold idea: Bitcoin on the balance sheet is no longer a signal—it’s a strategy. As the original and most visible digital asset treasury company, Strategy’s pivot five years ago is now being echoed across sectors. With inflation pressures, FX uncertainty, and institutional-grade custody solutions in place, a growing number of companies are evaluating digital assets not just as investments—but as foundational components of long-term treasury management.

In a standout fireside chat with CFTC Acting Chairman Caroline D. Pham, the tone around U.S. regulation was notably optimistic. With the Genius Act passed and the Clarity Act on the horizon, policymakers appear increasingly focused on establishing a durable market structure rather than stifling innovation. The dialogue at Out East Summit reflected this optimism and the broader shift of US regulation as a competitive advantage to innovation.

Across multiple panels, institutional leaders emphasized that tokenization is no longer theoretical—it’s operational. From faster settlement and real-time reporting to programmable finance and new liquidity rails, financial institutions are piloting and deploying tokenized assets at scale. The conversation has moved past “why tokenize” to “how do we integrate this into production?” The convergence of blockchain architecture and traditional financial systems is setting the foundation for a more efficient, interoperable global market structure.

Stablecoins dominated discussions across Out East Summit—from panels on tokenized money to conversations on cross-border payments and settlement. With regulatory clarity accelerating and the Genius Act (Stablecoin Bill) passing in the U.S., stablecoins are proving to be the clearest and most scalable application of blockchain technology today. Their role in driving programmable payments, streamlining FX, and bridging legacy and crypto-native systems was framed as a core driver of institutional adoption in 2025 and beyond.

“The Rise of Privacy Chains” panel sparked one of the summit’s most energetic debates, highlighting divergent views on how—and how much—privacy should be embedded into blockchain infrastructure. What emerged was consensus on a key point: as institutions increasingly adopt public blockchain systems, selective privacy is essential. Whether through zero-knowledge proofs, shielded transactions, or hybrid architectures, privacy tech is maturing to meet both compliance requirements and user expectations in an open, auditable world.

Two of Out East Summit’s most engaging conversations came from the fireside chats with Anthony Scaramucci (Founder & Managing Partner, Skybridge) and Arjun Sethi (Co-CEO, Kraken). From macro outlooks and market structure to institutional onboarding and strategic positioning, both leaders brought clarity, candor, and conviction to the room. These conversations served as a reminder that strong voices and strategic leadership remain essential in navigating crypto’s next phase of growth.

Stay tuned for more information as we continue to bring institutions and innovators together across the digital asset landscape.

A huge thank you to our speakers, blockchain partners, and sponsors who made Out East Summit a success. Your insights and expertise are helping shape the future of institutional crypto.

See you soon!