Lessons from International Law: How to reframe our thinking around crypto governance
Duration: 00:15:56
Speaker: Katherine Wu
Type: Talk
Expertise: Beginner
Event: Devcon
Date: Jul 2026
Governance challenges have plagued international politics since the beginning of time. As we think about governance in crypto, it's critical to understand the history of politics and law - because governance is inherently about human nature and behavior. Whether it's smart contracts, proof of stake, centralized nodes, or miner consolidation concerns, these are all rooted in age-old governance problems presented in a new form. In my presentation, I will cover the foundational principles of international law, its evolution, and how we can take those lessons and context and think about governance from a new perspective. Specifically, I will use examples of current global governance organization such as the UN (and its predecessor, the League of Nations), the ICJ (International Court of Justice), and the lessons that these organizations hold for the emerging field of crypto governance.
