# Schwab Brings Crypto to 38M Users; North Korea 'Simply' to Blame for Recent DeFi Hacks

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/coindesk-podcast-network-334494/schwab-brings-crypto-to-38m-users-north-korea-simply-to-blame-for-recent-defi-hacks
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/coindesk-podcast-network-334494/schwab-brings-crypto-to-38m-users-north-korea-simply-to-blame-for-recent-defi-hacks.md
Podcast: [CoinDesk Podcast Network](https://stenobird.com/podcast/coindesk-podcast-network-334494)
Published: 2026-04-24T14:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CDI3696562795.mp3
Audio file: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CDI3696562795.mp3
Processing state: processed
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/coindesk-podcast-network-334494/episodes/schwab-brings-crypto-to-38m-users-north-korea-simply-to-blame-for-recent-defi-hacks
Duration seconds: 907

## Resource

The expansion of crypto access to 38 million Schwab brokerage accounts signals a major shift in mainstream adoption and political stakes. Meanwhile, recent DeFi exploits linked to North Korean hackers highlight the urgent need for better cross-chain security and international enforcement.

## Highlights
- Main idea: Schwab's crypto integration brings millions of retail investors into the ecosystem, potentially changing the political landscape for crypto regulation
- Failure mode: DeFi bridges remain a critical vulnerability that state-sponsored actors like North Korea are actively exploiting
- Practical takeaway: Industry leaders must adopt proactive cyber standards and join intelligence networks like TRM's Beacon to block illicit off-ramping
- Main idea: The legal future of prediction markets is heading toward a circuit split that will likely require Supreme Court intervention
- Policy implication: Regulators must focus on the 'off-ramp' to fiat to prevent stolen funds from being laundered through non-compliant offshore exchanges

## Topics

Crypto Regulation, DeFi Security, North Korea, Charles Schwab, Prediction Markets, Cybersecurity, Financial Policy, Blockchain Intelligence

## Chapters
- 1:00 — Schwab Opens Crypto to 38M Brokerage Accounts: Analysis of the massive implications of Schwab bringing Bitcoin to its nearly 40 million active accounts and how this affects US crypto policy.
- 3:00 — The Kelp DAO and Aave Exploits: A look at the recent DeFi hacks and the role of bridge vulnerabilities in the loss of assets.
- 5:00 — Combating North Korean Cyber Threats: Ari Redbord discusses using national security tools and diplomatic pressure to target DPRK hackers.
- 9:00 — Securing the DeFi Ecosystem: Evaluating vulnerabilities in code, bridges, and new assets, and the importance of industry-wide best practices.
- 11:00 — Preventing Illicit Off-Ramping: The necessity of monitoring centralized exchanges and OTC brokers to stop stolen funds from entering the fiat world.
- 12:00 — Person of the Week: Ninth Circuit Court: The significance of the Ninth Circuit's recent stance on the regulation of prediction markets.
- 14:00 — The Future of Prediction Markets: Discussing the potential for a Supreme Court showdown regarding the jurisdiction of prediction markets.

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## Transcript

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