Following the Money is a new Q&A series that spotlights how Chainalysis customers use our products in the real world — from compliance teams and investigators to pioneers driving crypto adoption.
Mina Eklad is the Bitcoin Compliance Program Lead at Block, helping ensure the safety of their crypto products across Cash App and Square.
What’s something Chainalysis helped you explain to someone outside your team?
The KYT exposure wheels are super intuitive — they tell a visual story that’s easy to understand at a glance. I can usually get someone who’s never seen blockchain analytics before to understand complex patterns of activity in minutes.
What’s the most interesting thing about working at Block?
Being bitcoin-first isn’t just a technical choice — it’s a philosophical one that keeps us super focused on Block’s mission of economic empowerment. It’s fascinating to watch how a single technology can solve such diverse needs across our ecosystem, from Cash App customers to Square merchants.
How do you use Chainalysis in a team setting — solo sleuthing or shared missions?
For different scenarios, our teams are equipped with the right tools: KYT for a quick glance of activity, and Reactor for detailed investigations. These standardized platforms ensure consistency across our organization, whether we’re working independently or collaboratively.
How would you explain what you do to your grandma?
Explaining regulatory compliance at a fintech, particularly one dealing with crypto, can be quite challenging. I typically describe my role as leveraging cutting-edge technology and tools to ensure the safety of our platform and our customers.
What’s your all-time favorite meme coin?
Bitcoin stands as the original and ultimate meme coin, underscored by its iconic “magic internet money” wizard among countless other memes. But perhaps my favorite bitcoin meme is “stay humble, stack sats.”
How do you unplug — if you ever do?
I’ve deleted some social media apps from my phone, which adds just enough friction for me to break the habit. These days, I’ve been trying to spend more time outside in nature. The cool thing about the blockchain is that it’s always there when I’m ready to plug back in!
What should we ask the next person?
You should ask, “Where do you see the crypto industry going in the next 5-10 years?”
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