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When David Yaffe-Bellany first learned about the complicated world of cryptocurrency from a tech-savvy high school friend, he responded with polite interest.
That changed in 2021, when an editor at the New York Times — where Mr. Yaffe-Bellany had previously worked as a reporter in the business department — highlighted a new opportunity to cover cryptocurrencies for the newspaper.
“After 10 minutes of research, it immediately became clear that it was a great beat with a colorful cast of characters from the crypto world and risks that were under-explored in some reports,” said Mr. Yaffe-Bellany, 28, a Times technology reporter who has been covering the crypto industry since 2022.
Three years and more than 300 lines later, Mr. Yaffe-Bellany has chronicled the ups and downs of the nascent industry, including the collapse of cryptocurrency founder Sam Bankman-Fried's company FTX. Last month, he worked on a multi-country investigation into two huge crypto and artificial intelligence deals involving President Trump.
“I am a firm believer that the best stories come from being there in person,” said Mr. Yaffe-Bellany, whose reporting has taken him to Singapore, Spain and the United Arab Emirates. “Often at a crypto conference you can just show up and have a conversation with someone who might take weeks to get on the phone because they're surrounded by three levels of PR people.”
In an interview, Mr. Yaffe-Bellany, who is based in New York, shared how he navigates an ever-evolving beat and what lessons he has learned in three years of covering the industry. These are edited excerpts from the conversation.
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