Building Trust in Crypto and AI: Navigating Fintech Compliance
AI and crypto adoption in financial services is accelerating, and the regulatory landscape is racing to keep up. Every fintech builder is navigating the tension between speed, growth, and compliance.
Join Equinox Compliance for an evening of expert discussions and the San Diego premiere of Self Custody (2026), a Bitcoin-focused action-thriller short film about a father trying to recover a lost fortune.
Advanced tickets: $12
Day of tickets (if available): $15
Schedule:
7:00 – 7:30 PM — Welcome
7:30 – 9:00 PM — Lightning talks and panel
9:10 – 10:00 PM — Film screening and Q&A
10:00 – 10:30 PM — Networking
Lightning talks and panel:
Amber de Volk
Joseph Ciccolo
Uriel Ash
Ieva Urbaite, panel moderator
Film Q&A with Adrian Grenier and director Garrett Patten
About the filmmakers:
Adrian Grenier
An actor, filmmaker, musician, entrepreneur, and environmentalist best known for his starring role as Vincent Chase on HBO's Entourage and memorable turns in The Devil Wears Prada and Drive Me Crazy. Adrian also stars in CryptoKnights, a reality series bringing together influential Web3 figures to evaluate and invest in emerging crypto projects. He is as passionate about embodying compelling characters as he is about developing successful business ventures and leading a global evolutionary shift: a campaign for environmentally conscious living. He is the founder of Kintsugi Ranch, a regenerative homestead in Bastrop, Texas, co-founder of Lonely Whale, and a UN Environment Programme Goodwill Ambassador.
Garrett Patten
A filmmaker, producer, and founder of TBK Productions with credits spanning 14 films, including The Birthday Cake, Bandit, and In the Hand of Dante. His work has premiered at major festivals and is known for blending emotional realism with high-concept storytelling. A USC graduate, Garrett built a successful career in business before transitioning to entertainment and is active in private equity through Promus Capital.
About our speakers:
Amber de Volk — CEO & Founder, Equinox Compliance
A senior compliance architect and regulatory advisor with 18+ years of experience across fintech, banking, payments, and emerging financial technologies. Amber holds an LLM in Financial Risk Management and specializes in AML program development, AI oversight, and enterprise risk management. She partners with founders and executive teams to build scalable, defensible compliance frameworks that drive growth and enable safer innovation.
Uriel Ash — Founder, Fractional CISO, Nathan Ash & Associates
A cybersecurity and compliance leader with 20+ years across fintech, banking, and payments. A Columbia-trained electrical engineer and Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Uriel previously served as SVP and Head of Innovation, Security Architecture, AI, and Blockchain at Cross River Bank. He partners with banks, fintechs, and regulated platforms to build secure, compliant technology infrastructure.
Joseph Ciccolo — Founder & President, BitAML
A crypto compliance authority with over a decade of experience advising hundreds of clients, from early-stage startups to large multinational institutions, across exchanges, OTC desks, payment processors, kiosk operators, and DeFi projects. Joe also serves as Executive Director of the California Blockchain Advocacy Coalition (CBAC), where he has testified before the California Assembly and Senate on digital financial asset licensing policy. He holds CAMS and AMLCA credentials and is a graduate of Northeastern University.
Ieva Urbaite — Chief Business Officer, Equinox Compliance
Ieva brings 15+ years scaling SMBs, startups, and Fortune 500 companies through strategic marketing, partnerships, and operations. She has led GTM strategy, managed compliance workflows with partner banks, and driven cross-functional alignment across Marketing, Product, Sales, Risk, and Operations.
Brought to you by Equinox Compliance. This event is not associated with Finovate Spring.