Pat

Some moments stick with you. Meeting @chaumdotcom at the @SatoshiRoundtbl was one of them. Long before “crypto” was mainstream, before blockchains were dinner-table conversation, before institutions were paying attention — Chaum was already laying the foundations. Back when I first fell down the crypto rabbit hole (2011–2014), I kept running into his name while studying the fundamentals of cryptography and privacy systems. The deeper I went, the more I realized: a lot of what we’re building today traces back to his work. A few highlights from his legacy: • Invented digital cash in the 1980s (eCash) • Introduced blind signatures, enabling private digital payments • Founded DigiCash, one of the first crypto companies • Pioneered research on anonymous communication systems • Anticipated many of today’s privacy and surveillance debates decades early • Laid conceptual groundwork that directly influenced modern blockchain thinking In many ways, he helped answer the question before most people even asked it: “How do we preserve freedom, privacy, and trust in a digital world?” Years later, through my old venture studio (Dedata), I had the chance to organize a conference where David spoke. And eventually, I got to meet him in person. What surprised me most? He was incredibly warm, thoughtful, and generous with his time. Despite having influenced an entire generation of cryptographers and technologists, he carried himself with real humility. I’ve met plenty of public figures over the years — but I was genuinely more starstruck meeting David than most celebrities. Because he represents something rare: Deep technical brilliance, paired with long-term moral clarity. As crypto matures, it’s worth remembering whose shoulders we’re standing on — and why these ideas mattered long before they were profitable. Grateful for the conversation, the history, and the reminder of what this space is really about.