The Defiant

Solana just took the most historic step in its governance history: its first real on-chain vote, where any SOL holder — not just validators — could weigh in on the network's constitution, inflation and fees.Camila Russo sits down with Nick Almond, Head of Governance at the Jito Foundation, right as that shift collides with a new threat: Robinhood's own chain moving in on meme coins, the one corner of crypto that was always Solana's. Nick breaks down how the vote actually played out — including the disinflation proposal that was decided with eight seconds left after Kraken flipped its vote — how JitoSOL swung its entire stake pool with a 13% quorum trigger, and why he still thinks Solana's shot at attracting new apps, from tokenized stocks to meme coins, is stronger than people give it credit for.Presented by Oasis — a self-custody wallet built on a 2/3 multisig. You hold two keys, Oasis holds a recovery key, and never has unilateral access. Oasis is giving away a CryptoPunk to the first 500 new or upgraded plans through October 31: https://www.oasisvault.io/cryptopunk

Robinhood is surging on Arbitrum's stack, and today we're joined by ARB co-founder Steven Goldfeder to break down the boom.On this stream we discuss:Does the tokenization / meme craze have legs?Spiking Robinhood feesWhere's crypto's decentralization promise when Robinhood owns the sequencer?The landlord model and the ARB rallyWho's the next Robinhood?Guest: Steven Goldfeder, Co-Founder and CEO of Offchain LabsLike, subscribe, and hit the bell so you don't miss our next streams.

About a third of all ETH — over 41 million coins across nearly 900,000 validators — is already locked into staking. A new Ethereum proposal, EIP-8363, wants to make sure it never crosses 50%, by tapering staking rewards down to almost nothing as that threshold approaches.The proposal landed just 48 hours before the deadline to be considered for Ethereum's next upgrade, and it immediately set off one of the most heated governance fights the ecosystem has seen in years.We brought on both sides. Jérôme de Tychey, one of the EIP's co-authors and a solo staker since Ethereum's genesis, makes the case that an unchecked staking ratio threatens the network's neutrality and security. Mike Silagadze, CEO of ether.fi, argues the fix is worse than the disease — that it would push out solo stakers, gut DeFi, and hand more power to the biggest institutional players it claims to guard against.At the center of it all: does Ethereum have a real problem with how much ETH is staked, or is this a solution in search of a crisis?Jérôme has a public bet on the table with a co-author. Mike has one of his own, worth a million dollars. Neither is backing down.Guests: Jérôme de Tychey (EIP-8363 co-author) | Mike Silagadze (CEO, ether.fi) Topics: Ethereum, EIP-8363, staking, issuance, solo stakers, DeFi, liquid staking tokens, ether.fi, Lido, Ethereum governance

DTCC holds $114 trillion in assets. On July 15th, it showed the world how those assets can be converted into digital tokens, traded in real production conditions, and converted back — without disrupting anything. Nadine Chakar joins The Defiant to explain the digital twin model, why they chose Besu and Canton, what the Russell 1000 SEC authorization covers, and what realistic demand will look like at October's launch. She also confronts the big philosophical question: did blockchain disrupt Wall Street, or did Wall Street absorb blockchain? The answer might surprise you.Explore The Defiant ✨📰 Websitehttps://thedefiant.io/✉️ Free Daily Newsletter https://thedefiant.io/newsletter/defi...🤑 Weekly Premium Newsletter https://thedefiant.io/newsletter/defi...✊ Follow The DefiantX/Twitter: https://x.com/DefiantNews📬 Contact our Newsroomeditorial@thedefiant.io🤝 Sponsorships & Partnershipssponsors@thedefiant.io#TheDefiant​ #DeFi​ #Decentralized​ #Finance​ #Blockchain #Web3

Brian Armstrong changed his profile picture to a memecoin. It pumped to thirty million. Ten thousand wallets piled in. Less than twenty-four hours later, he changed it back — and every one of those wallets felt it.

That one move cracked open the week's biggest debate: what should Coinbase and Base actually be for? And what does it mean that Robinhood's new L2 — launched three weeks ago, supposedly for tokenized stocks — already has five hundred million in memecoin volume versus thirteen million in RWAs?

This week on The Defiant, Camila Russo sits down with three guests who can't agree on anything — and that's exactly why this conversation works.

Austin Campbell (Zero Knowledge / NYU Stern) says Base's behavior was both an intellectual and moral failing — memecoins are gambling, and Coinbase can't build payment infrastructure while promoting gambling to young people at the same time. Jason Yanowitz (Blockworks) says the strategy is closer to right than people admit, and the real problem is execution, not direction. Michael Lee (LienFi), a Base builder since day one, says Armstrong's PFP move caused real damage — but mercenary traders have also paid twenty million dollars to creators on Base, and nobody else is stepping in to do that.

School bus. Rocket ship. Same company. That's the problem.

Guests: Austin Campbell (Zero Knowledge / NYU Stern) | Jason Yanowitz (Blockworks) | Michael Lee (LienFi) Topics: Memecoins, Coinbase, Base, Robinhood L2, content coins, Brian Armstrong, crypto regulation, everything exchange

Fourteen days. That's the window the crypto industry has to get the CLARITY Act through the Senate — or wait until the 2030s for another shot.The combined draft dropped last week for the first time, merging the Senate Banking and Agriculture committee text into one bill. It added a law enforcement title (the Fraternal Order of Police endorsed it the same day). It added an ethics provision. And Democrats are rejecting that provision outright.This week on The Defiant, we're bringing three people living this fight from the inside: Miller Whitehouse-Levine (Solana Policy Institute), Amanda Tuminelli (DeFi Education Fund), and Adrian Wall (Digital Sovereignty Alliance). They don't all agree on how close we are — and one of them drops what might be the most explosive political take of the year: that Republicans, Democrats, financial institutions, and Coinbase may none of them actually want this bill to pass.The Polymarket odds: down from 80% in February to 37% this week. The stakes: if it fails, the next administration can undo anything the agencies do by rulemaking. Without a law, there's no floor. And innovation goes abroad.Guests: Miller Whitehouse-Levine (Solana Policy Institute) | Amanda Tuminelli (DeFi Education Fund) | Adrian Wall (Digital Sovereignty Alliance / Tron DAO US Policy) Topics: CLARITY Act, crypto regulation, SEC, CFTC, DeFi, stablecoins, blockchain policy, US Congress, ethics provision, RWAs

Michael Saylor built his entire identity around one promise: he would never sell Bitcoin. Last week, that promise ended.

Strategy's board voted to authorize selling Bitcoin to cover dividend payments and build cash reserves — in the middle of MSTR and STRC crashing to record lows, the yield blowing up, and confidence in the whole experiment starting to crack.

Is this a rational pivot? Or the beginning of the end for the world's largest corporate Bitcoin treasury?

This week on The Defiant, I sat down with Scott Melker and Kaleo to get into all of it: the hollow signaling, the STRC question, whether Saylor should rip the Band-Aid and sell billions now — and what any of this actually means for Bitcoin.

Spoiler: they disagree. Strongly.

Guests: Scott Melker | Kaleo (CryptoKaleo)

Topics: Strategy, Michael Saylor, Bitcoin, MSTR, STRC, corporate Bitcoin treasury, convertible debt

The Ethereum Foundation just cut 20% of its staff and 40% of its budget. Two co-executive directors are gone. And the talent exodus has been quiet but real. 

But the community didn't wait. In a matter of weeks, 50 institutions and Ethereum leaders came together to form ETH Labs — a new organization backed by Sharp Link, Joe Lubin, and Bitmain, with a mandate to build what the Foundation decided it no longer wants to. Is this a rescue? A power grab? Or the most important moment in Ethereum's 11-year history?

Last week on The Defiant, I sat down with Josef Chalom (Sharp Link, the second-largest public ETH holder) and Viktor Bunin (Coinbase) to get into all of it: the funding structure, the credible neutrality question, the ETH asset vs. protocol tension, and what's actually coming in the Glastonbury upgrade — including a technical shift that could finally make Ethereum feel good to use. 

Guests: Josef Chalom, CEO of Sharp Link | Viktor Bunin, Coinbase

Topics: Ethereum Foundation, ETH Labs, protocol governance, institutional adoption, Glastonbury upgrade

Last Friday, the U.S. Department of Commerce forced Anthropic to shut down Fable V for the entire world. One government, one decision, zero global access. Is this the definitive case for decentralized AI?

Jake Brukhman (Coin Fund), Jesus Rodriguez (Sentora), and Haseeb Qureshi (Dragonfly) debate the hottest topic at the intersection of crypto and AI: whether frontier AI can and should be decentralized — or whether we're repeating the same mistakes as decentralized storage.What you'll hear: why the government hand-picked who gets access to Mythos (and it wasn't Anthropic's call), whether consumer GPU swarms can realistically compete with data centers, what's really happening with on-chain hacks in 2026, and Haseeb's most controversial take: the world's most powerful AI should be treated like a nuclear weapon, not a public good.No easy answers. No consensus. Just the most important debate of 2026.

How close did DeFi come to a real systemic collapse?In this episode, Camila Russo sits down with Mike Silagadze, co-founder and CEO of Ether.fi, to break down the Kelp exploit, the DeFi United rescue effort, and why Mike believes the default path could have been far worse if nobody had stepped in. He explains why the bigger lesson is not just smart contract risk, but operational security, app-layer responsibility, and the need to move past "decentralization theater."They also get into why Ether.fi wants to be "the safest place to stake," why application-layer protocols should have emergency controls, and how Ether.fi is evolving from liquid staking into a vertically integrated DeFi bank with vaults, card rails, and real-world utility.If you want to understand where DeFi security is failing, what serious builders are changing, and what the next phase of crypto products could look like, this is the episode to watch.

April saw some of the worst DeFi losses in recent memory, and even OpenZeppelin co-founder Manuel Aráoz warned people to get out. But while CT feels gloomy, institutions are not stepping back - they're leaning in with more diligence, stronger infrastructure requirements, and growing demand for onchain yield.In this livestream, Camila Russo is joined by John Zettler of Kraken, Sunand Raghupathi of Veda, and Anthony DeMartino of Sentora to break down what the latest hacks actually revealed: why many recent attacks look more like supply-chain and key-management failures than pure smart-contract exploits, why DeFi's next big challenge is operational security, and why that does not automatically kill the institutional DeFi thesis.They also unpack Kraken's new Bitcoin Vault, the rise of risk-curated vaults, why enterprises still see onchain finance as inevitable, and why fundamentals may be diverging sharply from price action. If you want the clearest view yet on whether DeFi is actually ready for institutions, this is the debate to watch.

Top Ethereum talent is leaving. The Ethereum Foundation is shrinking. And one question now hangs over the entire ecosystem: what happens to ETH if the EF steps back?

In this livestream, Camila Russo is joined by Dankrad Feist, Laura Shin, Ajit Tripathi, and William Mougayar to break down the EF departures, leadership turmoil, the cypherpunk mandate, the debate over tokenomics, and whether Ethereum is still positioned to win as competition intensifies.

The big tension in this conversation is clear: the EF may be choosing to do less, but the market is demanding more. So if Ethereum is entering a new phase, who organizes, who builds, and who fights for ETH from here?

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DeFi is approaching a breaking point.After a wave of hacks and growing concerns around smart contract risk, liquidity risk, and hidden dependencies, the biggest question in crypto is no longer just how much yield you can earn, but whether that yield is actually worth the risk.In this debate, Camila Russo is joined by Santiago Roel Santos of Inversion, Daniele Ugolini of Rysk Finance, and Mauricio Di Bartolomeo of Ledn to break down why DeFi yields may be fundamentally mispriced, what TradFi still does better, where DeFi still wins, and what has to change before institutions can trust it at scale.They get into:🟢 why some of the best-known DeFi protocols may still not compensate users for risk🟢 whether trapped onchain liquidity is distorting the market🟢 why builders need stronger guardrails, better risk management, and more transparency🟢 and whether DeFi is on the verge of becoming mainstream infrastructure, or staying niche until it grows upIf you're allocating capital onchain, building in DeFi, or trying to understand where crypto goes from here, this is the debate to watch.

Explosive debate: after one of DeFi's biggest attacks left Aave facing bad debt, DeFi United raised more than $300M to stop the contagion. But did the ecosystem prove its strength - or expose hidden trust assumptions, opaque risk, and the need for a real DeFi backstop?

The Defiant's Camila Russo is joined by Dean Eigenmann (Markets Inc.), binji (Ethereum Foundation), and David Phelps (Confetti) to debate whether crypto bailouts are good for crypto, what this means for decentralization, and what DeFi must fix before it can scale to the mainstream.Watch the full discussion and decide for yourself.

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The Arbitrum Security Council just made one of the most controversial decisions in DeFi history — freezing $70M in ETH stolen by North Korean hackers from the KelpDAO bridge exploit. But was it the right move?

And what does it say about the systems we're building?

Griff Green (Giveth Co-Founder and Arbitrum Security Council member) and Gabe Shapiro / Lex_node (crypto lawyer, MetaLex founder, ZK Sync Guardian Council) go head-to-head on the decisions, the precedent it sets, and the hard questions the DeFi ecosystem can no longer avoid.

They debate:Was freezing North Korea's funds the right call?

Do Stage 1 rollups like Arbitrum have too much centralized power?

How does the Arbitrum Security Council compare to PayPal, Bitcoin miners, and Ethereum validators?

What would real accountability look like for security councils?

What's the path to Stage 2 — and how long will it take?This is one of the most important conversations in DeFi right now. Don't miss it.

🔔 Subscribe to The Defiant for more crypto deep dives, breaking news, and live debates.

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NEXO

Nexo is a premier digital assets wealth platform that helps clients build, manage, and preserve their wealth through advanced interest-generating products, crypto-backed credit, advanced trading tools, and 24/7 client care. Get started at ⁠https://nexo.com/defiant⁠

Two new research papers just intensified one of crypto’s most serious long-term risks: quantum computing.

In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, Camila Russo sits down with Alex Pruden, co-founder and CEO of Project 11, to unpack what the latest quantum breakthroughs actually mean for Bitcoin, Ethereum, and the broader crypto ecosystem.

Alex explains why the new papers matter, how quantum computers could use Shor’s algorithm to break the cryptography behind blockchain ownership, why exposed public keys are especially vulnerable, and what “Q-Day” could look like if the industry is unprepared. He also breaks down the difference between theoretical progress and live quantum systems, why some chains may be vulnerable in different ways, and what post-quantum migration could realistically involve.

The takeaway: this is not just a technical curiosity. It is a foundational challenge for crypto, and one the industry may need to start addressing now.

Topics covered:

A new DeFi exploit triggered millions in losses, but the deeper story is about risk. In this episode, Omer Goldberg, founder of Chaos Labs, explains how the attack unfolded, why the damage spread across lending markets, what vault curators got wrong, and whether DeFi is truly ready for mainstream adoption. If you want to understand stablecoin risk, oracle design, curator incentives, and the future of safer onchain finance, this is the conversation to watch.Big thanks to our sponsors;NEXONexo is a premier digital assets wealth platform that helps clients build, manage, and preserve their wealth through advanced interest-generating products, crypto-backed credit, advanced trading tools, and 24/7 client care. Get started at nexo.com/defiant MERCURYOYour Web3 product deserves solid payment infrastructure. Global on/off-ramps, custom APIs, and DeFi connectivity trusted by the biggest names in crypto: mercuryo.ioROCKET POOLRocket Pool is Ethereum’s decentralised liquid staking protocol. Node operators can join with just 4 ETH, or liquid stakers can hold rETH and automatically earn staking rewards. rocketpool.net

In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, Camila Russo sits down with Jing Wang to discuss how Optimism is evolving and why the debate over what counts as a “real” Ethereum L2 might be missing the point.

Jing argues that the most important question isn’t whether a chain is an L1, L2, or sidechain.

It’s whether the architecture actually serves users and real-world use cases.

“If it looks like an L1, we’ll build that. If it looks like an L2, we’ll build that.”

In the conversation we cover:

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Your Web3 product deserves solid payment infrastructure. Global on/off-ramps, custom APIs, and DeFi connectivity trusted by the biggest names in crypto: https://mercuryo.io/

Layer 2 was supposed to scale Ethereum.

But what if it fragmented it instead?

I

n this episode, we break down:

• Why public chains are “expensive databases”

• Why composability is Ethereum’s real value

• Why stablecoins don’t need blockchains

• Why L2 may be weakening Ethereum’s core

Is scaling helping Ethereum — or hollowing it out?

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Bitcoin Renaissance or JPEG Hype?In 2023, Bitcoin had what many called a renaissance.NFTs on Bitcoin.BRC-20 tokens.Runes.10x transaction spikes.Fee revenue surging to levels not seen since 2017.And then — just as quickly — it cooled.So was the Bitcoin renaissance just a flash in the pan?Or did Ordinals, BRC-20s, and Runes permanently change Bitcoin?In Episode 2 of our Beyond Digital Gold docu-series in partnership with StarkWare, we break down:• What Ordinals actually are and how they work• How BRC-20 tokens turned Bitcoin into a memecoin battlefield• Why Runes were introduced — and what they fixed• The fee spike impact on miners• How maximalism fractured• Why the Overton window for building on Bitcoin shifted permanentlyFeaturing:@isabelfoxenduke@0xBinari@rodarmor@domodata@NathanOnCryptoThe hype faded.But the structural shift didn’t.Watch to understand what really changed — and why the next battle for Bitcoin is infrastructure.⸻Chapters:Cold OpenEthereum vs Bitcoin EraTaproot ExplainedWhat Ordinals Actually DidBRC-20 ExplosionThe Cultural WarRunes & The RefinementWas It Just Hype?⸻#Bitcoin #Ordinals #BRC20 #Runes #BitcoinDeFi #Crypto #Taproot

"In a decentralized governance system, it's unavoidable to develop politics."

Rune Christensen explains why DAO governance becomes a struggle for resources, how the "iron law of bureaucracy" emerges, and why Sky redesigned its architecture to survive it.

From USDS growth to the Atlas rulebook and Genesis Capital — this is Sky's long-term vision for sustainable decentralized finance.

Robinhood is opening the testnet for its Arbitrum-based Ethereum Layer 2. In this episode, we sit down with the fintech’s head of crypto, Johann Kerbrat, to discuss the strategic move to build on Ethereum. He believes institutions can get the privacy and compliance guarantees they need on public chains like Ethereum, so building on private chains doesn’t make sense as they are just a “fancy database.” Kerbrat says he sees a future where most financial infrastructure and assets transact on public blockchains. Topics:Robinhood Layer 2 LaunchTokenized Stocks & Real-World AssetsThe "Adapt or Die" moment for BanksSelf-Custody vs. Platform Safety

Stablecoins have quietly become the most successful use case in crypto.In this episode, Nikhil Chandhok, Chief Product & Technology Officer at Circle, explains why USDC is more than a digital dollar — it’s a global financial network.We discuss economic inclusion, internet-scale finance, programmable payments, emerging markets, AI-driven payments, and why stablecoins are becoming the backbone of global money movement.

2025 marked a turning point for crypto.In this episode, Brett Tejpaul, head of Coinbase Institutional, sits down with Camila Russo to explain why institutional adoption accelerated last year. From ETFs and stablecoin regulation to banks using public blockchains in production, crypto crossed a line it can’t uncross.We explore how Coinbase evolved from a retail exchange into a global financial infrastructure layer, why tokenization is finally happening for real, and what regulation unlocked that years of innovation couldn’t.This is about the moment crypto became part of the financial system.

Kain Warwick—DeFi OG and founder of Synthetix and Infinex—is back on The Defiant Podcast with Camila Russo for a no-BS conversation at a pivotal moment: Infinex just ran its INX token sale and is heading into its TGE.

We get into:

Why Kain believes DeFi’s biggest bottleneck isn’t “more decentralization,” but UX + distribution

The hard lesson OG DeFi learned: users won’t “learn to love complexity”—the product has to be holistically better

The INX sale controversy: $2,500 cap → cap removed, one-year lockup stays, and why he says the sale “didn’t need to happen” (but still closed)

What he’d do differently: market-driven pricing for locked vs. liquid tokens (and why he thinks the liquidity premium is brutal right now)

Kaito / InfoFi: how incentives turned crypto Twitter into slop—and why he thinks it “blew up the public square”

What INX actually does: early access, fee discounts, governance—and what demand looks like from power users

Infinex’s product roadmap: Safe support, hardware wallets, integrating “competitors” like Hyperliquid, and the real metric he watches—share of wallet

The bigger vision: a one-stop, non-custodial front-end that can serve both whales and newcomers (and why that’s the only way DeFi competes with fintech)

Subscribe for more founder interviews and deep dives from The Defiant.

In this interview, Camila Russo sits down with Danny Ryan — former Ethereum Foundation researcher and a key leader behind Ethereum’s shift to proof of stake — now Co-Founder & President at Etherealize, to talk about the next big wave for crypto: institutional adoption of Ethereum.

Recorded in Buenos Aires during Devconnect, Danny breaks down why the mood inside banks has flipped from “we can’t touch crypto” to “if we don’t adopt it, we’ll be left behind.” We dig into what institutions actually want beyond ETFs, why the biggest opportunity isn’t “tokenizing assets” but rewiring markets from first principles, and why privacy is table stakes for institutional-grade onchain finance.

We also cover the regulatory whiplash of the last few years, what’s changed, what still needs to be written into law, and why Danny believes Ethereum is uniquely positioned for serious capital markets infrastructure.

Key topics:

Why banks suddenly have Ethereum FOMO

The difference between “tokenizing assets” vs rewiring markets

Where the biggest inefficiencies are (credit, fixed income, esoteric institutional markets)

Why privacy + ZK are essential for institutionsCoordination problems, incentives, and who doesn’t want markets to upgrade

Ethereum’s edge: neutrality, uptime, decentralization, and security

👍 If you enjoyed this episode, like, subscribe, and share it with someone who still thinks institutions only care about ETFs.

In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, Chris Storaker sits down with Alex Garn, Chief Product Officer at Borderless, to unpack how stablecoins are quietly transforming cross-border payments — and what it actually takes to move money at scale across jurisdictions.

Alex walks through Borderless’ role as an orchestration layer for global on- and off-ramps, why the company stays out of the flow of funds, and how a single API can replace dozens of fragmented integrations across local regulators, liquidity providers, and banking partners.

We explore why stablecoins are moving beyond trading and DeFi collateral into real-world enterprise payments, where they already outperform legacy rails on settlement speed, transparency, and custody — especially across emerging market corridors like Latin America and Southeast Asia.

The conversation also digs into the hard parts: liquidity constraints by corridor, KYC and compliance friction, why US–EU payments still favor SWIFT, and whether incumbents like Visa, Mastercard, and SWIFT are more likely to be disrupted or to acquire their way into the future.

Finally, Alex shares his outlook on regulatory clarity post-GENIUS, the coming wave of corporate stablecoin adoption, and why distribution — not branding — will determine which stablecoins ultimately win.

00:00 — Intro: Alex joins The Defiant Podcast

01:30 — From DeFi & data science to stablecoin payments

04:10 — What Borderless does: orchestration vs custody

07:10 — Why cross-border on/off-ramps are still fragmented

10:00 — Stablecoins beyond DeFi: real enterprise payment use cases

12:45 — Treasury management, payouts, and B2B adoption

15:30 — Liquidity realities: when $10M+ stablecoin payments work

18:10 — Why US → Latin America leads stablecoin adoption

20:30 — Where stablecoins don’t win (yet): US–EU & SWIFT

22:50 — KYC as the biggest bottleneck in crypto payments

26:00 — Self-custody, bank risk, and corporate treasuries

29:30 — Stablecoins vs SWIFT: speed, cost, and settlement

33:00 — Visa, Mastercard, SWIFT, and the M&A race

36:40 — Regulation after GENIUS and global spillover effects

39:40 — What enterprise adoption looks like in the next 2–3 years

42:30 — Stablecoin fragmentation, liquidity, and consolidation

45:00 — Closing thoughts: what excites Alex most about the future

For consumer crypto to thrive it needs to embrace financialization to deliver a better experience, and maker sure crypto disappears everywhere else. Projects doing this right sit in an emerging sector called fantech. In this episode of the Avalanche Ecosystem Series, we explore the rise of Fantech: a new category where sports fans, music fans, creators, and event-goers become participants in real digital economies.

From loyalty programs and ticketing to creator monetization and on-chain rewards, we look at how these experiences get a 10x lift when they go onchain, and why Avalanche is emerging as one of the leading infrastructures powering this shift.

The episode opens with a real story from the Champions League final and expands into a global look at how blockchain is quietly reshaping fan engagement, payments, and ownership at scale.

Featured conversations:

Rain — using stablecoins to power global consumer payments and rewards

Uptop — building wallet-based loyalty for major sports teams

The Arena — enabling creators to monetize directly through social crypto

Tixbase — rebuilding ticketing with on-chain transparency and fan identity

In this episode:

Why loyalty and rewards are a multi-billion-dollar global marketHow on-chain points and fan engagement differ from traditional programs

Why ticketing may be one of the most natural consumer use cases for blockchainHow creators and fans are earning, not just speculating

Why Avalanche’s architecture is uniquely suited for consumer-scale apps

Why the future of consumer crypto won’t feel like crypto at all

Chapters:

00:00 – The Ticket That Didn’t Work

01:30 – What Is Fantech?

04:00 – Payments as the Base Layer

06:30 – Loyalty Goes On-Chain

10:00 – Social + Fan Economies

13:00 – Fixing Ticketing

17:00 – Why Avalanche Works for Consumers

19:00 – The Future of Fandom

Subscribe for more deep dives into crypto, DeFi, and the technologies reshaping finance and the consumer internet.

In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, Uniswap founder Hayden Adams joins us right as the UNIfication (Unification) proposal has moved to a final governance vote—a sweeping plan from Uniswap Labs + the Uniswap Foundation that would activate protocol fees, introduce a programmatic UNI burn, and realign how value accrues across the Uniswap ecosystem. We go deep on what’s actually inside the proposal (and what isn’t), why this moment feels like the end of one DeFi era and the start of another, and how years of “regulation by enforcement” shaped Uniswap’s product decisions—down to Hayden’s firsthand experience with debanking, legal pressure, and the chilling effect on builders. What we coverWhy UNIfication is being pitched as a once-in-a-cycle reset for UniswapThe real mechanics of the fee switch(es) (plural) and how the “token jar” burn design worksThe perceived tension between UNI token holders vs. equity/VC value capture and whether this vote changes thatWhy Uniswap wants to shift from “best frontend” to protocol-first infrastructure (APIs, ecosystem engineering, aggregator hooks)How Unichain fits into the broader strategy—and what “near-free trading” could mean in practiceGovernance backlash: is Uniswap becoming more centralized or more decentralized?Context: the vote is live! Hayden shared that the UNIfication proposal is now in the final governance vote stage.Subscribe for more founder-level conversations at the intersection of DeFi, regulation, and market structure.

In this episode of The Defiant podcast, Camila Russo sits down in Buenos Aires (Devconnect) with Marissa Foster (Product, Ethereum Foundation) and Yoav Weiss (security researcher, Ethereum Foundation) to unpack The Trustless Manifesto and the Ethereum Interop Layer (EIL), why “trust assumptions” are quietly creeping into Ethereum’s stack, and what it will take to preserve Ethereum’s core values while making UX actually usable.We dig into the hidden places users are forced to trust intermediaries, from cross-chain interoperability and solvers to something most people never question: RPCs. Then we get practical: the guests walk through the EIL, a new approach to cross-chain UX that aims to deliver one-signature interop without introducing new trust assumptions, plus why the wallet becomes the center of the user’s security model.Finally, we zoom out: how should wallets warn users, what does “walkaway test” really mean, and why institutions may end up being one of the strongest forces pushing crypto toward less counterparty risk.Topic list: • Why Ethereum’s next phase is “mainstream adoption” — and why that raises the stakes • The Trustless Manifesto: what it is, why it was written, and what it’s trying to prevent • Where trust assumptions sneak in: bridges, interop protocols, sequencers, oracles • RPCs as a giant blind spot: “we trust RPCs blindly” and why that can have real-world consequences • Trustlessness vs UX: why “great values + bad UX” can still lose users • “You can’t build something trustless on top of something that isn’t trustless” • What users should demand — and why it can’t require everyone to be a security expert • How “beat” frameworks help: L2BEAT, upcoming interop criteria, and Walletbeat • The walkaway test: what happens if the team/server/intermediary disappears (or turns hostile)? • L2 sequencers: permissioned vs permissionless, censorship risk, and practical exit paths • Cloud dependencies (Cloudflare outage) and what it reveals about today’s “decentralized” apps • Ethereum Interop Layer (EIL) explained: one-signature, wallet-centric, self-executing interop • Why “solvers open the envelope” — and how EIL avoids that trust model • Liquidity providers, vouchers, and how users pay gas cross-chain without the usual friction • Standards and coordination: wallets, L2s, and dapps all need to meet in the middle • The HTTP analogy: Ethereum today as the “pre-HTTP internet” and what seamless interop could unlock • Institutions and counterparty risk: why big players may push hardest for trust-minimized infrastructure • What’s next: testnet learnings, audits, standards, wallet integrations, and 2026 mainnet targetExplore The Defiant ✨📰 Websitehttps://thedefiant.io/✉️ Free Daily Newsletter https://thedefiant.io/newsletter/defi...🤑 Weekly Premium Newsletter https://thedefiant.io/newsletter/defi...✊ Follow The DefiantX/Twitter: https://x.com/DefiantNews📬 Contact our Newsroomeditorial@thedefiant.io🤝 Sponsorships & Partnershipssponsors@thedefiant.io#TheDefiant​ #DeFi​ #Decentralized​ #Finance​ #Blockchain #Web3

In this episode of The Defiant podcast we speak with Morgan Krupetsky, VP of OnChain Finance at Ava Labs, to break down one of the most significant shifts happening in crypto today: the rapid institutionalization of blockchain and Avalanche’s strategy to lead it.

Morgan walks us through Avalanche’s “real-world adoption first” ethos, explaining how its unique architecture enables enterprises, fintechs, banks, governments, and consumer apps to build purpose-designed blockchains while tapping into a shared liquidity hub.

Robert Leshner — the mind behind Compound, and now the founder of Superstate — believes the next trillion-dollar shift will come from bringing the world’s assets on-chain.

In this episode, Cami sits down with one of DeFi’s earliest pioneers to unpack:

Why DeFi itself shouldn’t change — but assets will

How tokenized T-bills, basis strategies, and even equities are finally getting institutional traction

Why regulatory “tailwinds,” not new laws, unlocked the RWA boom

The two competing models of tokenized stocks — and why both will win

What happens when DeFi becomes the infrastructure powering TradFi

What he’d do differently after Compound’s messy transition to decentralized governance

Robert also gives us a candid breakdown of how Superstate is building “canonical tokenization” — letting public companies turn their actual stock into blockchain-native assets — and why the real breakthrough won’t come from issuance… but from DeFi use cases.

In a world of fast-advancing technology, we are told to trust in our own research. But as the crypto space matures, scams and exploits remain a constant presence. When your assets are gone, they are gone forever, with a near-zero chance of recovery. The old mantra of "Do Your Own Research" falls short against sophisticated threats like address poisoning, advanced malware, and convincing AI deepfakes. How, then, do we build a safer Web3 without sacrificing the decentralized ideals at its core?

Alex Katz, CEO of the Web3 security solution Kerberus, joins us to explore this new frontier. We delve into the philosophical debate of autonomy versus protection, the push for auditing standards, and the future of wallet-native security.

Chapters

00:00 Android vulnerability: why mobile crypto is risky

01:21 Building safer Web3 without sacrificing decentralization

02:10 Crypto’s Wild West: few rules, big risks

03:37 Why scams continue: prosecution, standards, protection gaps

05:44 Kerberus approach and results: zero user losses

06:24 Coverage up to $30K and growth needs

08:24 Why DYOR is insufficient for modern threats

09:33 Traders’ behavior, phishing risk, and automation

11:25 Crypto antivirus vision and malware threats

12:11 Hardware vs. hot wallets: balancing safety and speed

14:41 Address poisoning, clipboard privacy, and deepfakes

20:22 Autonomy vs. protection: beyond user education

24:44 Wallet security should be default, like antivirus

31:51 Getting grandma into Web3 safely

32:29 Lightning round: tools, myths, key lessons

36:04 Where to find Kerberus and closing notes

In the second episode of Ecosystems: Avalanche, we track the protocol’s trajectory, which included a peak valuation of $13 billion, followed by a period of consolidation and strategic redevelopment.

The Defiant founder Camila Russo and Ava Labs' Chief Strategy Officer Luigi D’Onorio DeMeo are joined by founders from BENQI, Euler Labs, and LFJ, who are building on the Avalanche protocol. The conversation covers technical upgrades such as Octane and Etna, aimed at reducing fees, and Interchain Messaging, designed to enhance interoperability between blockchains. It also addresses the strategy to onboard institutional clients, including T. Rowe Price and Wellington, through customized Layer 1 solutions.

Can Avalanche cultivate an ecosystem that thrives without relying on constant incentives, particularly regarding liquidity and user retention? Join us to find out.

In this conversation, May Zabaneh breaks down PayPal’s move into stablecoins with PYUSD and why it matters for financial inclusion. We explore how PYUSD could lower costs for cross-border payments, deliver faster settlement, and plug directly into PayPal’s existing ecosystem. The discussion covers why PayPal built a proprietary stablecoin, early adoption and real-world use cases, and plans for international expansion. We also examine the role merchants play in crypto acceptance, how DeFi and traditional finance are converging, and why interoperability will be essential in the next phase of digital payments.

Chapters

00:00 PayPal’s Vision for Stablecoins

02:47 Why PYUSD? Rationale and Goals

05:18 Stablecoin Advantages: 24/7, Inclusion, Cross‑Border

08:22 Why Proprietary vs Supporting Others

11:06 Unlocking B2B and Rebuilding On‑Chain

12:20 PYUSD in the PayPal/Venmo Ecosystem

14:21 International Expansion and Global Transfers

17:02 Merchant Fit: Categories, Costs, Declines

19:32 User Segments: Crypto‑Curious to Super Users

23:28 Pay with Crypto: Scaling to Larger Merchants

29:38 PYUSD in DeFi: Open and Multi‑Chain

32:01 Liquidity, Partnerships, and the Three Pillars

35:56 Interoperability and Evolving Roles

39:11 AI x Payments: Agent‑Driven Commerce

40:42 Finding the Flywheel, What’s Next

In Web3, we find ourselves in an age of digital phantoms, a "click-farm" era where identity is flimsy and easily fabricated. But what if reputation could be real, portable, and valuable? Animoca Brands co-founder Yat Siu returns to explore this very question, detailing a vision for a trust layer built on zero-knowledge proofs.

He reveals plans for a Hong Kong dollar stablecoin, a joint venture with Standard Chartered and HKT awaiting regulatory approval, and unpacks the Mocaverse ecosystem where staking power and airdrops build a verifiable, cross-chain identity. We also explore the future of Web3 gaming, the coming meta shift from GTA 6, and a bold thesis: why the entire altcoin market may one day eclipse Bitcoin.

Tune in to discover how we might build a more trustworthy digital future.

Chapters

00:18 Solving Web3's "Click Fraud" Problem

01:01 Animoca's Plan for a Hong Kong Stablecoin

03:12 Navigating Hong Kong and China's Regulatory Landscape

09:11 The Composability and Promise of Stablecoins

11:09 Introducing the Mocaverse Loyalty SDK

12:56 Building an Interoperable Digital Identity

15:04 The Search for Trust in a Permissionless World

18:34 Data Custody, GDPR, and Self-Sovereignty

21:02 Can Reputation Live Across Multiple Chains?

27:07 The Limits of KYC and Airdrop Farming

28:49 Staking Power and Airdrops as a Form of Credit

40:34 Rumors of a US Listing for Animoca

45:13 The Future of Web3 Gaming and the GTA 6 Effect

56:22 Why Altcoins May One Day Eclipse Bitcoin

In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, Vinny sits down with Ahmad Shadid—former quant trader turned founder—who redirected the 2022 GPU crunch into a decentralized GPU network and now leads a bold push toward “sovereign superintelligence”: an AI CEO framework that can govern, fund, and scale itself transparently. 

We unpack vibe coding (building with AI at 20x speed), how zero-knowledge proofs and decentralized networks could reshape AI, and why security must keep pace in a world moving faster than audits. We talk leadership, the democratization of software, and the next wave of founders shipping products in days—not months.

We discuss:

How vibe coding empowers anyone to ship working demos fast

Where AI CEOs make sense—and where humans still matter

Why Web3 UX, wallets, and cross-chain could leap forward

The real bottleneck: security and audits in a 20x build world

Practical risks for builders and consumers—and how to stay safe

Chapters

00:00 The internet-magnitude moment for building

01:13 Sovereign superintelligence and AI CEO

01:38 Vibe coding: ship 20x faster

01:53 Speed vs. security: the new bottleneck

03:03 From GPU crunch to GPU networks

03:22 Why AI + Web3 will drive the decade

06:51 Will AI replace “managers” or leaders?

09:53 Vibe coding explained—anyone can build

14:05 Tools outpace human code reading

16:30 Building an AI-first product workflow

21:13 Build fast, but build safely

32:00 Toward decentralized AI-managed organizations

37:34 What’s driving the vibe coding wave

39:58 Democratization vs. industry gatekeeping

42:45 Anyone can start—opportunities everywhere

Avalanche says it can finally square the circle: sub‑second finality, a large decentralized validator set, and thousands of sovereign L1s connected through native messaging for shared liquidity.

In the genesis episode of our new ECOSYSTEMS podcast, Camila Russo and guest cohost Luigi D’Onorio DeMeo of Ava Labs unpack the Avalanche story—from Team Rocket’s probabilistic consensus and the stadium sampling intuition, to today’s “city of chains” (C‑Chain liquidity hub, P/X chains, and customizable L1s). We discuss:

How random sampling achieves speed and safety/liveness guarantees

Customization without fragmentation via inter-chain messaging (ICM)

L1 vs L2 trade-offs: shared security vs shared risk, costs, and interoperability

Enterprise paths (FIFA, Toyota, fintechs), privacy options, and Ava Cloud’s “L1 in minutes”

Decentralization in practice: validator counts, Nakamoto coefficient, and hardware accessibility

What real adoption looks like for payments, DeFi, and emerging markets

If Avalanche is right, it has the chance to make finance programmable at scale. If not, we add to the L1 graveyard.

Crypto’s next chapter isn’t a shinier coin—it’s invisible rails. In this episode, we sit down with Aryan Sheikhalian, Research Lead at CMT Digital, to unpack the shift from “crypto as an asset” to crypto as infrastructure: 24/7 markets, instant clearing and settlement, and new structured products that couldn’t exist before. 

We talk about tokenized equities (wrappers vs. native tokenization and why dividends/governance matter), how identity layers and ZK proofs unlock mainstream distribution through banks and fintechs, and where regulation is pushing builders toward partnerships and licensed rails.

Chapters

00:00 Hook: crypto as infrastructure, not asset

01:15 Guest intro and research focus

02:06 Incentives, psychology, and mechanism design

04:03 ICO lessons, maturity, and red flags

07:09 CMT Digital’s thesis and “strictly better”

10:27 Tokenized equities drivers and demand

13:40 Wrappers vs native: dividends, governance

16:06 Fintech rails, velocity, cost efficiency

18:26 Banks, distribution, and competitive incentives

20:29 New assets: GPUs, data, energy tokens

23:23 Identity layers and ZK proofs for scale

25:55 State of crypto VC and fund trends

27:51 Overlooked sectors: DePIN and decentralized data

31:26 Prediction markets and resolution design

34:18 Regulation, licenses, and partnerships

39:45 Market outlook: TVL, stables, volatility

42:45 Founder advice: conviction and user focus

In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, we sit down with Paul Veradittakit, Managing Partner at Pantera Capital, to discuss the explosive growth of Solana, the future of stablecoins, and the evolution of digital asset treasury companies. Paul shares insights on Pantera's $1.2 billion Solana fund, the role of institutional capital in this crypto cycle, and why he believes Solana is poised to outperform Bitcoin and Ethereum. Tune in for a look into the next wave of blockchain innovation, from payments to gaming and beyond.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to stablecoins as a practical store of value

01:00 - Guest introduction: Paul Veradittakit of Pantera Capital

01:37 - Pantera’s $1.2 billion Solana fund: Why Solana?

02:36 - Evolution of digital asset treasury companies

04:13 - Pantera’s bullish stance on Solana: Technology and adoption

06:03 - Investment strategies for single-asset treasury companies

08:30 - Managing Solana in Helios: Staking, DeFi, and M&A

10:35 - Addressing Solana’s decentralization and downtime concerns

12:22 - Meme coins and their role in Solana’s ecosystem

18:18 - Stablecoins: A growing demand in Latin America

20:01 - Future use cases for Solana: Payments, AI, and Deepin

23:00 - The rise of specialized blockchains for vertical use cases

26:17 - Stablecoins as a payments hub: Key players to watch

28:14 - Altcoins’ potential to outperform Bitcoin in this cycle

33:15 - Crypto gaming: The underestimated vertical

35:37 - Closing thoughts: Solana’s future and Pantera’s vision

In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, we sit down with Ben Nadareski, CEO and Co-Founder of Solstice Labs, to explore DeFi on Solana and why it’s becoming a magnet for institutional adoption. Ben shares how Solstice Labs is pioneering permissionless, institutional-grade yield strategies and launching the US token, a fully collateralized stablecoin designed to unlock new levels of trust and scalability in DeFi.

We dive into Solana’s unique advantages—speed, low costs, and composability—and how it’s shaking off its “meme chain” reputation to emerge as a serious contender in the blockchain space. Ben also addresses the challenges of scaling trust in crypto, the rise of yield-bearing stablecoins, and how DeFi is empowering users in emerging markets.

We also tackle: How can Solana maintain its edge in a crowded blockchain market? What’s being done to address past network outages? And how can regulation strike the right balance between protecting users and fostering innovation?

Chapters

00:00 – Scaling Trust in Crypto

00:22 – Solana’s DeFi Momentum

01:16 – Why Solana Stands Out

03:43 – From Meme Chain to DeFi Leader

05:57 – The Rise of Yield-Bearing Stablecoins

08:01 – Regulation and Trust in DeFi

12:45 – Solstice Labs and the US Token

18:19 – DeFi’s Role in Emerging Markets

25:13 – The Future of DeFi on Solana

33:08 – Building a Transparent and Scalable DeFi Ecosystem

In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, we sit down with Eli Ben-Sasson, co-founder and CEO of StarkWare, to explore how StarkNet is revolutionizing blockchain scalability with ZK proofs. From Bitcoin staking to the creation of an "integrity web," Eli shares groundbreaking insights into the future of decentralized finance, Bitcoin's execution layer, and the role of StarkNet in shaping the blockchain ecosystem. Tune in to discover how StarkNet is leading the charge in decentralization, scalability, and innovation.

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction to Eli Ben-Sasson & StarkWare

00:24 – StarkNet’s mission: Scaling blockchain with ZK proofs

01:30 – StarkWare’s achievements: $8B valuation & global impact

03:22 – BTC Phi: Bitcoin staking & $100M incentive program

07:05 – How Bitcoin staking works on StarkNet

17:11 – StarkNet as Bitcoin’s execution layer: The vision

27:21 – Verifying Bitcoin headers in milliseconds: A breakthrough

41:02 – StarkNet’s role in the "integrity web"

49:51 – Why corporate chains won’t work in crypto

51:53 – Closing thoughts: Decentralization, scale, and the future

Why did Game Square, the Jerry Jones-backed media powerhouse, bet $100 million on Ethereum instead of Bitcoin? In this episode of The DeFiant Podcast, Vinny sits down with crypto pioneer Ryan Zurrer to explore the strategy behind this bold move. Ryan, who co-wrote the MakerDAO whitepaper and now leads Dialectic, shares why Ethereum dominates 5 out of 6 real-world crypto use cases, from stablecoins to DeFi, and how it’s emerging as the financial substrate of the future. Learn how Game Square is leveraging Ethereum’s programmability to earn yields of up to 14% and why this strategy could set a new standard for corporate crypto adoption.

The conversation dives deep into the evolution of DeFi, the lessons learned from past crypto cycles, and the importance of decentralization and fair launches in building sustainable ecosystems. Ryan also shares insights into Dialectic’s automated DeFi machine, which uses hyper-diversification and risk-adjusted strategies to maximize returns.

Chapters

00:00 - Litmus Test for Crypto Projects

00:28 - MakerDAO and Stablecoin Innovation

01:23 - Game Square’s $100M Ethereum Bet

02:32 - Ethereum’s Real-World Dominance

05:09 - Dialectic’s DeFi Machine

06:12 - Compounding Yields with Ethereum

10:01 - Lessons from Crypto History

16:01 - The Evolution of Crypto Governance

28:02 - Polkadot’s Interoperability Vision

40:00 - Ethereum as the Corporate Crypto Blueprint

In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, Paul Faecks, CEO of Plasma Chain, discusses the platform’s approach to stablecoin payments and its potential to reshape global financial infrastructure. From gasless USD transfers to a $2 billion liquidity launch, Paul explains how Plasma Chain plans to compete with established players like Tron and Ethereum while focusing on emerging markets and decentralization. The conversation also touches on regulatory challenges, partnerships with Tether and Binance, and the broader future of stablecoins.

Chapters:

00:00 – The role of DeFi in stablecoin chains

00:30 – Why subsidizing gasless transfers makes sense

00:58 – Meet Paul Faecks and Plasma Chain

01:26 – From poker to crypto: Paul’s journey

02:28 – The vision behind Plasma and Tether’s involvement

03:00 – Stablecoins as a $1 trillion market opportunity

05:21 – Plasma’s technical innovations: Gasless USD transfers

07:19 – Why USDt is prioritized on Plasma

09:22 – Building a sustainable DeFi ecosystem

12:31 – $2 billion in stablecoin liquidity at launch

15:22 – Navigating regulations and the Genius Act

19:22 – The future of stablecoin payments globally

21:02 – Emerging markets as the biggest opportunity

26:23 – Plasma’s path to decentralization

39:02 – Launch timeline and ecosystem readiness

Stablecoins are no longer just a buzzword—they’re transforming the way the world moves money. In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, we sit down with Reeve Collins, co-founder of Tether, co-founder of WeFi, and chairman at STBL, to explore the groundbreaking evolution of stablecoins.

From their early days as a simple payment solution to their role in reshaping global finance, Reeve shares insider insights on how stablecoins are building trust, driving financial inclusion, and securing the future of money.

We’ll dive into:

✅ The origins of stablecoins and their $246 billion impact

✅ How stablecoins are revolutionizing cross-border payments and DeFi

✅ The rise of Stablecoins 2.0 and what it means for users

✅ Why major players like Visa and JPMorgan are entering the space

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction: Stablecoins and their impact

00:51 - Meet Reeve Collins: A Web3 trailblazer

01:34 - The origin of stablecoins: Tokenizing the US dollar

02:58 - Stablecoins today: A $246 billion industry

05:17 - The rise of Stablecoins 2.0

07:45 - Yield-bearing stablecoins: User benefits explained

10:01 - Tokenized assets in 401(k)s and traditional finance

12:28 - Major players entering the stablecoin space

14:04 - How stablecoins are transforming banking

17:10 - Blockchain’s promise: Removing the middleman

19:06 - Financial inclusion through decentralized banking

22:55 - Mobile-first, wallet-native financial solutions

25:27 - Building trust in underserved communities

28:16 - Stablecoins 2.0: Transparency and compliance

38:13 - Mass adoption: Public companies and crypto treasuries

40:27 - Closing thoughts: The future of blockchain

🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more deep dives into the world of Web3, blockchain, and decentralized finance!

In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, we sit down with Joseph Onorati, CEO of DeFi Development Corp, the second-largest Solana treasury company. Joseph shares the journey of transforming DeFi Development Corp into a Solana-focused treasury powerhouse, their innovative yield strategies, and why Solana's volatility and native yield make it a compelling treasury asset. We also dive into the broader case for crypto treasury companies, the risks and rewards of staking strategies, and the future of Solana in the blockchain ecosystem. 

Plus, Joseph shares his bold prediction: Solana flipping Ethereum by market cap. Tune in for a deep dive into the intersection of DeFi, treasury management, and the Solana ecosystem.

Chapters

00:00:00 Why Solana as a Treasury Asset?

00:00:41 Volatility, Convertible Debt, and Cost of Capital

00:01:20 Introducing Joseph and DeFi Development Corp

00:02:10 The Evolution of DeFi Development Corp

00:03:56 Staking, Validators, and Yield Strategies

00:05:40 Breaking Down Solana Yield Strategies

00:10:10 Risks in Staking and Looping Strategies

00:12:03 The Case for Crypto Treasury Companies

00:15:03 Solana Per Share Growth and Fundraising Flywheels

00:20:02 Challenges with NAV Premium Compression

00:27:16 Solana’s Market Share in Treasury Companies

00:30:00 ETFs and Their Impact on Crypto Treasuries

00:36:01 The Future of Public Market Crypto Instruments

00:46:14 Risks and Controversies in Crypto Treasuries

00:54:16 Locked Solana and OTC Markets

01:06:15 DeFi Development Corp’s Treasury Accelerator Program

01:08:09 Bull Case for Solana and Price Predictions

In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, we sit down with Fakhul Miah, Managing Director of GoMining Institutional and former Morgan Stanley executive, to explore the rapidly evolving world of Bitcoin mining in 2025.

From the rise of AI hyperscalers competing for energy resources to the financial engineering transforming miners into sophisticated operators, this conversation dives deep into the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of the industry.

Key topics covered:

Why AI is Bitcoin mining’s most aggressive new competitor

How miners are evolving with BTC-backed loans and convertible notes

The shifting geopolitics of mining: U.S. vs. Latin America and Africa

What $100B in Bitcoin ETFs and sovereign reserves mean for adoption

The big picture: Bitcoin mining’s transformation into a global infrastructure industry

Whether you’re a crypto enthusiast, investor, or just curious about the intersection of technology, energy, and finance, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction: Bitcoin Mining Faces a New Kind of Competition

00:45 GoMining’s Role in Tokenized Bitcoin Mining

02:43 The Rise of AI Hyperscalers and Energy Market Disruption

03:15 Bitcoin Mining’s Flexibility vs. AI’s Energy Demands

06:15 Why AI Is a Formidable Competitor for Miners

08:09 The Power Struggle: Bitcoin Mining’s Future Amid AI Growth

09:02 Financial Engineering: How Miners Are Avoiding Liquidation

12:11 The Evolution of Bitcoin Mining into a Balance Sheet Business

16:57 Shifting Geopolitics: Latin America and Africa’s Mining Rise

20:36 U.S. Mining Dominance: Can It Adapt to Stay on Top?

24:50 Institutional Adoption: $100B in ETFs and Sovereign Reserves

28:40 Bitcoin’s Next Phase: Stability, Risks, and Financialization

31:10 Bitcoin as Digital Gold vs. Everyday Currency

34:51 The Role of Institutions and Whales in Bitcoin’s Future

37:00 The Big Picture: Bitcoin Mining’s Transformation by 2030

39:29 What Miners, Investors, and Policymakers Should Focus On

42:35 Closing Thoughts: GoMining’s Vision and What’s Next

📖 Learn more:

Explore GoMining’s H1 2025 Bitcoin Mining Market Review: [https://institutional.gomining.com/]

Ondo Finance is at the forefront of the real-world asset (RWA) revolution, bringing traditional financial products like U.S. treasuries, stocks, and ETFs onto blockchain rails. In this episode of the Defiant Podcast, Ian De Bode, Chief Strategy Officer at Ondo Finance, dives into democratizing access to financial markets for a global audience. By tokenizing assets, Ondo enables 24/7 mobility, seamless DeFi integration, and enhanced investor protections, all while addressing the inefficiencies of traditional finance.

Ian also shares insights into Ondo's upcoming tokenized equities launch, their innovative approach to liquidity and pricing, and the broader implications of regulatory clarity for the RWA space. With a mission to create open, global financial rails, Ondo is not just building products but laying the foundation for the future of finance.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to the DefiantPodcast01:30 - Welcoming Ian, Chief Strategy Officer at Ondo Finance01:55 - What is Ondo Finance?02:22 - Tokenizing Treasuries, Stocks, and ETFs03:12 - Solving Accessibility and Mobility in Finance04:50 - The Evolution of Ondo’s Tokenized Assets: OUSD and USDY07:04 - Comparing Ondo’s Products to Competitors Like BlackRock12:26 - Growth of Tokenized Treasuries and Regulatory Milestones20:26 - Ondo’s Plans for Tokenized Equities28:24 - Challenges and Opportunities in Tokenized Stocks33:02 - Ondo’s Layer 1 Blockchain and DeFi Integration38:52 - The Future of Real-World Assets on Chain44:13 - Ondo’s Long-Term Vision for Global Finance

What if blockchain technology could be as seamless as swiping a credit card or streaming your favorite show? In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, we sit down with Prabal Banerjee, co-founder of Avail and Former Research Lead at Polygon, to explore how he’s working to make that vision a reality. Prabal shares his insights on tackling some of the biggest challenges in the blockchain space, from data availability and scalability to fragmentation and user experience. His mission? To make blockchain invisible to the end user.

We also dive into the multichain future and why interoperability is the key to mass adoption. Prabal explains how Avail is building the infrastructure to unify the fragmented blockchain ecosystem and shares exciting news about Avail’s acquisition of Arcana, a move that could redefine how developers and users experience Web3.

Chapters:

00:00 Imagine a seamless blockchain world: Introducing Prabal Banerjee and today’s themes

02:18 What is Avail? Tackling scalability and fragmentation in a multichain world

03:55 Why fragmentation matters: The case for interoperability over single-chain dominance

08:11 Making blockchain invisible: Lessons from Web2 and the user experience problem

10:04 Bridging pain points: Why blockchain meta-interoperability is the future

16:16 The role of wallets and abstracting complexity for mass adoption

25:08 Interoperability between rollups and sovereign chains: Unlocking new possibilities

36:02 Beyond 8 billion users: The rise of agents and verifiable internet interactions

40:48 Avail’s acquisition of Arcana: What it means for developers and users

50:02 Lightning round: Blockchain problems, overhyped trends, and Prabal’s favorite chain

In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, we sit down with Ellio Trades, Co-Founder of BlackHole, the fastest-growing decentralized exchange on Avalanche. Ellio shares his insights on the current state of the crypto market, including whether we're entering a new altcoin season or witnessing a slower, more sustainable growth cycle. He dives deep into the maturation of the crypto space, the role of institutional investors, and why this cycle could be the most significant in crypto history.

Ellio also unpacks the innovative mechanics behind BlackHole, from its V3.3 DEX model to its focus on creating deep liquidity and sustainable revenue. He explains how BlackHole is reshaping the DeFi landscape and why Avalanche was the perfect ecosystem for its launch. Watch now to gain valuable insights on the future of blockchain, decentralized finance, and the next wave of crypto adoption.

Chapters

00:00 The $10 Trillion Question: Is Altcoin Season Here?

00:04 Traditional Cycles vs. A New Crypto Paradigm

00:42 The Maturation of DeFi and Institutional Adoption

01:30 Introducing Ellio Trades and BlackHole

02:33 Bitcoin, Ethereum, and the Shift to Regulated Markets

03:45 Why Ethereum's Value Proposition is Finally Clicking

05:18 The Role of Wall Street in Crypto's Next Big Cycle

07:32 Balancing Supercycle Narratives with Traditional Cycles

10:33 DeFi's Undervalued Potential and Institutional Interest

12:23 Stablecoins and the Future of Blockchain Applications

16:04 Why BlackHole Chose Avalanche for Its Launch

18:42 BlackHole's Explosive Growth and Unique Features

23:03 How BlackHole's V3.3 Model Creates Deep Liquidity

30:28 Lessons from Past Projects and BlackHole's Innovations

35:02 The Long-Term Vision for BlackHole and DeFi

Step into the evolving world of virtual environments, where Decentraland is at the forefront of innovation. In this episode, we explore how interoperability is transforming the metaverse, enabling seamless integration across platforms and unlocking creative possibilities for users and developers alike. From NFTs and digital wearables to virtual real estate, we discuss how these advancements are reshaping the metaverse and fostering meaningful connections in a polarized digital age.

Join us as Kim Currier, Head of Partnerships and Marketing at Decentraland, shares insights on the resurgence of NFTs, the role of brands in creating immersive experiences, and the tools empowering creators to thrive. Whether you're a collector, a brand strategist, or simply curious about the metaverse, this episode offers a deep dive into the future of digital interaction and the cultural capital being built in virtual worlds.

Chapters:

00:00 The Rise and Fall of NFTs: From hype to utility

00:23 Driving Innovation in the Metaverse

00:33 Meet Kim Currier, Decentraland’s Head of Partnerships and Marketing

01:09 The Metaverse as a Social Hub: Immersive experiences for brands and users

01:30 Opportunities for Collectors and Brands

02:53 Cultural Shifts in NFTs: What’s fueling the 2025 resurgence?

04:45 Decentraland’s Unique Offerings in music, art, and social connection

08:03 Utility-Driven NFTs: Wearables, emotes, and smart wearables in Decentraland

13:17 No-code tools and community-driven innovation for creators

20:15 Virtual Spaces for Remote Teams: Offsites and community gatherings

27:33 Innovative builds in Decentraland

35:11 Brand Partnerships in the Metaverse

43:02 Onboarding the Masses: Decentraland as a gateway to Web3

47:10 Long-Term Vision: Building cultural capital and meaningful connections

In this episode, we’re joined by Marta Belcher, President and Chair of the Filecoin Foundation, to dive deep into the transformative potential of decentralized storage and its role in shaping the future of technology. Marta shares her insights on how Filecoin is enabling decentralized AI, preserving humanity’s most important data, and creating alternatives to big tech.

We explore the incentives and economics behind Filecoin, its critical use cases in journalism and human rights, and how it’s helping to build censorship-resistant systems. Marta also discusses the challenges and opportunities of governance in decentralized systems, the evolving regulatory landscape for crypto in the U.S., and the pivotal role of the market structure bill.

Chapters

00:00: The Decentralized AI Revolution

00:28: Filecoin’s Role in Decentralized AI

01:29: What is Filecoin?

02:14: The Importance of Decentralized Storage

03:29: Incentives and Economics of Filecoin

06:10: Filecoin for Journalism and Human Rights

08:25: Decentralized AI and Filecoin’s Infrastructure

13:10: Governance in Decentralized Systems

22:13: Regulation and Crypto’s Future in the US

29:02: Filecoin’s Growth and Use Cases

37:05: Filecoin’s Long-Term Vision

In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, we sit down with Adrian Brink, Co-Founder of Anoma and Namada, to explore the intersection of privacy, sovereignty, and resilience in Web3. Adrian shares his journey from the early days of building Cosmos to building intent-based systems that empower communities and protect dignity at scale.

We dive into the challenges of designing for a fragmented world, the promise of cryptography, and the importance of local-first infrastructure. Adrian also discusses the Tornado Cash case, the role of intent-based systems in addressing regulatory concerns, and how cryptography can help communities defend against external threats.

From the evolution of Web3 to the future of AI-driven coordination, this conversation is packed with insights on building networks that bend toward freedom without breaking under the weight of reality.

Chapters

00:00: Setting the stage: intention, privacy, and protecting dignity in a digital world

03:39: Sovereign infrastructure: community defense and resilience against external threats

05:23: Reimagining privacy: moving beyond Band-Aid solutions to foundational change

07:24: The state of Web3: challenges, stagnation, and the need for meaningful innovation

10:02: Intent-based systems: reshaping privacy and sovereignty for individuals and communities

12:03: Flexibility and security: building adaptable systems for diverse global needs

15:13: Tornado Cash and regulatory challenges: intent systems as a potential solution

20:13: Navigating high-risk environments: sanctions, blackouts, and global regulations

25:20: The next 100 million users: making crypto accessible and practical for everyday life

30:05: Financial literacy and coordination: unlocking new possibilities for global commerce

35:00: Cryptography and trust: scaling trust systems for local and global communities

40:00: Societal transformation: blockchain’s role in reshaping politics, economics, and governance

45:00: AI and intents: the future of coordination in the age of artificial intelligence

48:12: Staying grounded: Adrian’s advice for navigating innovation and building for the right reasons

49:19: Closing thoughts: where to find Adrian and what’s next for Namada

In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, Paul Frambot, Co-Founder of Morpho, details how DeFi is transforming the financial industry by intersecting with fintech, shifting value to network users, and reshaping how lending protocols work. He outlines the evolution from early peer-to-peer lending to today's permissionless, immutable infrastructure, highlighting Morpho's product design, its approach to risk management, and specific use cases in institutional finance and global wallet integration. Discussions cover the role of risk managers, transparency benefits, the emergence of DeFi as backbone infrastructure for fintechs, and how platforms like Coinbase now use Morpho behind the scenes.

Paul reflects on how Morpho enables global liquidity, allows businesses and individuals to create custom lending markets, and how DeFi’s open competition leads to better rates and more efficient markets. The conversation wraps with thoughts on unsecured lending, the path to real-world financial product integration, and Morpho's long-term vision to become the foundational protocol for global financing.

Chapters:

00:00 Fintech disruption, DeFi’s impact on infrastructure

01:21 Founding Morpho: backstory and protocol design

03:04 Pushing for permissionless, immutable protocol infrastructure

04:16 Institutional adoption, wallet integrations, and B2B use cases

07:01 Managing risk and collateral in open protocols

10:32 Shift in institutional engagement and business adoption

15:20 Native on-chain fund issuance, regulations, and international frameworks

17:04 Equity and securities as next steps for on-chain finance

19:03 Real-world example: Coinbase leveraging Morpho for global lending liquidity

20:28 End-to-end DeFi integrations: wallet abstraction and feature parity

22:26 Four core benefits when fintechs use DeFi as backend

24:07 Transparency, self-custody, and proof of reserves in DeFi

25:06 Institutional desire for infrastructure ownership—not just distribution

26:29 Competitive rates: DeFi vs. traditional finance lending

27:51 Barriers for banks: regulation, compliance, privacy, and operational hurdles

30:00 Privacy on-chain: transaction anonymity vs. amount privacy

32:29 How DeFi lending markets evolved: competition and network effects

34:00 Differing visions: Morpho as infrastructure vs. Aave as integrated bank

37:12 Market size: overcollateralized and undercollateralized lending potential

38:04 How DeFi could unlock unsecured credit

41:24 Under-collateralized lending, trust, and on-chain identity primitives

44:28 Morpho’s long-term vision and the future of DeFi/fintech convergence

In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, we sit down with Nicholas Kunkel, Founder of Chronicle Labs and a pioneer in the world of decentralized finance (DeFi). From his early days at MakerDAO, where he helped build the first oracles and decentralized exchanges, to launching Chronicle Labs, Nicholas shares his journey of innovation and problem-solving in the crypto space.

We dive into the challenges of building efficient oracles, the rise of tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), and the convergence of traditional finance (TradFi) with DeFi. Nicholas also discusses the technical and strategic differences between Chronicle Labs and other oracle providers, the role of tokenized assets in reshaping finance, and his ambitious vision for a future where decentralized and traditional finance merge seamlessly.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Niklas Kunkel, Founder of Chronicle

00:22 From MakerDAO to Chronicle Labs: Building the first oracles and decentralized exchanges.

01:23 The Birth of Oracles

05:27 Chronicle Labs vs. Competitors

10:11 Exploring the role of tokenized treasuries, private credit, and other RWAs in DeFi.

13:07 Challenges of RWA Integration: Data requirements, liquidity concerns, and the complexities of tokenizing real-world assets.

21:30 Convergence of DeFi and TradFi

25:33 Chronicle’s Business Model

30:24 Scaling tokenized assets to surpass crypto-native assets in total value secured.

34:19 Long-Term Vision

35:44 Closing Thoughts

On this episode of the Defiant Podcast, Charlie Hu, co-founder of Bit Layer, discusses the evolution of Bitcoin beyond its role as a store of value. The conversation addresses trends in Bitcoin programmability, the development of layer two networks, liquidity in DeFi, and adoption by institutions. Cami and Charlie discuss technical distinctions among Bitcoin scaling solutions and the integration of Bitcoin with other blockchain ecosystems. Then, they conclude by exploring practical considerations for developers and users interested in these changes.NOTE: At the time of publishing (Aug. 4) BitLayer TVL was at $400M, higher than at the time of recording which was at $300M, mentioned in the podcast intro. Chapters:00:00 Introduction; Bitcoin’s binary narrative debated 00:17 Potential impacts of low network activity 00:37 Bitlayer overview and recent platform developments 00:59 Bitcoin’s price rally and changing role 01:26 Guest background: early experiences in Web3 02:09 Lessons from Ethereum and cross-chain growth 03:15 Founding Bitlayer; motivations and industry context 06:06 Network sustainability and security considerations 09:59 Bit Layer’s technology focus and design choices 16:00 Bitcoin Virtual Machines and cross-ecosystem cooperation 30:08 Unlocking Bitcoin liquidity; DeFi adoption and risks 45:00 Institutional involvement and new use cases 52:00 Onboarding, governance, and next steps for the ecosystem

Dogecoin started as a joke, but could it become the foundation of a thriving app ecosystem? In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, we sit down with Jordan Jefferson, CEO of MyDoge and DogeOS, to explore why building infrastructure on Dogecoin is an exciting opportunity. We discuss the unique culture of the Doge community, the challenges of building on a meme coin, and how DogeOS is positioning itself as the app layer for the people's currency. Whether you're a DeFi enthusiast, a crypto trader, or just Doge-curious, this conversation is packed with insights, laughs, and a vision for the future of Dogecoin. Welcome to the moon.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction: Dogecoin's EvolutionA look at Dogecoin's journey from meme coin to movement.

02:04 Meet Jordan JeffersonCEO of MyDoge and DogeOS shares his vision for Dogecoin.

03:14 Why Build on Dogecoin?The unique opportunity Dogecoin offers for developers and users.

05:38 The Power of the Doge CommunityHow memes, vibes, and a strong community drive innovation.

09:07 DogeOS: The App Layer for DogecoinExploring DogeOS's features, from gaming to DeFi and beyond.

15:09 Gaming and Memes: Dogecoin's Secret SauceWhy casual gaming and meme culture are perfect for Doge.

20:00 DeFi on Dogecoin: Opportunities and ChallengesBuilding financial infrastructure for the people's currency.

34:20 Why DeFi Users Should Care About DogeBetter yields, safer leverage, and unique opportunities.

49:07 ZK Upgrades and the Future of DogecoinHow zero-knowledge proofs could unlock Dogecoin's potential.

54:31 Lightning Round: Fun with Jordan JeffersonQuick-fire questions about Doge, gaming, and digital cash.

On the 10th anniversary of Ethereum's genesis block, we sit down with Joe Lubin, Ethereum co-founder and CEO of ConsenSys, for an exclusive deep dive into the past, present, and future of the Ethereum ecosystem. From the concept of 'digital oil' to Ethereum's role as the foundation of a decentralized global economy, Joe shares his vision for the next decade of blockchain innovation. Tune in to hear his thoughts on staking strategies, the rise of DeFi, and why Ethereum is poised to become the substrate for the world's financial system.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction – Setting the stage for Ethereum’s 10th anniversary.

01:00 Joe Lubin’s Vision – Ethereum as civilization-scale infrastructure.

02:19 Staking Strategies – Insights into ConsenSys’ ETH accumulation and staking.

05:08 Overcoming Challenges – Scalability, usability, and regulatory hurdles.

10:08 Decentralized Stablecoins – The need for ETH and BTC to support DeFi growth.

15:11 DeFi and TradFi Convergence – How Ethereum is reshaping finance.

22:08 Ethereum’s Role in the Global Economy – Becoming the substrate for trust.

30:00 Multi-Chain Future – Why Ethereum will remain foundational.

40:00 The Next Decade – Joe’s predictions for Ethereum’s growth and impact.

45:00 Closing Thoughts – Celebrating Ethereum’s 10th birthday.

In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, we sit down with Sam MacPherson, CEO and co-founder of Phoenix Labs, to discuss Spark (SPK)—the DeFi protocol making waves in the cryptocurrency world. From its groundbreaking subDAO model to its recent $10 billion TVL milestone, Spark is reshaping decentralized finance. We dive into the latest developments, including the Ignition Airdrop and institutional adoption. Tune in to explore how Spark is bridging the gap between traditional finance and DeFi, and what the future holds for this rapidly evolving ecosystem.Chapters00:00 - IntroductionMeet Sam Macpherson, CEO of Phoenix Labs, and the vision behind Spark.01:23 - Spark’s Rapid GrowthHow Spark became one of the biggest DeFi protocols with $10B TVL.05:10 - The SubDAO ModelBalancing decentralization and nimbleness to scale effectively.08:05 - Why Decentralization MattersSam’s passionate defense of decentralization as a core principle for global infrastructure.12:00 - Challenges of Traditional DAOsThe limitations of flat governance structures and how Spark overcame them.15:30 - Ignition Airdrop and Overdrive PhaseHow staking incentives are driving SPK adoption and price action.20:00 - Institutional AdoptionSpark’s partnerships with Coinbase, BlackRock, and the rise of tokenized RWAs.24:00 - Spark Liquidity LayerEnhancing governance and liquidity.27:16 - Spark Token LaunchGovernance, staking, and how SPK empowers the community.30:00 - Transparency in DeFiSpark’s commitment to making every layer of its ecosystem visible.35:00 - The Future of StablecoinsWhy scaling stablecoins requires diverse collateral types.38:00 - Bitcoin-Backed LoansTapping into new markets with OTC Bitcoin loans and institutional interest.42:00 - Bridging DeFi and Traditional FinanceHow Spark is integrating with fintechs and creating seamless user experiences.45:00 - Ethereum’s Role in DeFiSam’s thoughts on Ethereum’s evolution and its renewed optimism.

The crypto world is buzzing with the passage of the Genius Act, a groundbreaking piece of legislation that sets new standards for stablecoins and crypto exchanges. In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, host Vinny dives deep into the implications of this law with Diane Magince, Senior Marketing Officer, and Breno Sperandio, VP of Partnerships at Biconomy.com. Together, they explore how this act is reshaping the industry, the opportunities it unlocks, and what it means for the future of digital assets.

Chapters:

00:00 Big News in Crypto: The Genius Act is signed into law

01:49 Introduction to Diane Magince, Breno Sperandio, and Biconomy.com

05:19 Market trends, altcoin season, and the role of AI in trading

11:48 Marketing in a Regulated World

19:17 Stablecoins and the Future of Finance

27:26 How the Genius Act is driving legitimacy, transparency, and trust

33:18 Mobile-First DeFi

45:49 Upcoming developments and partnerships for Biconomy.com

54:16 Coming Up Next Week

In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, we explore the global shift toward Bitcoin as digital gold with Jeff Garzik, Co-Founder of Hemi, the largest programmable Bitcoin sidechain. Jeff shares his journey as a crypto OG, from contributing to Bitcoin in its earliest days to building innovative scaling solutions for Bitcoin. We discuss macroeconomic trends driving Bitcoin adoption, the evolution of decentralized finance, and how Hemi is shaping the future of BTCFi.

Chapters

00:00: Intro to the episode

00:06: Why the world is turning to Bitcoin

01:00: Meet Jeff Garzik: A crypto OG’s journey

03:06: From Linux to Bitcoin: Lessons in decentralization

06:08: Scaling Bitcoin: The evolution of sidechains

09:05: Hemi’s approach to Bitcoin security and DeFi

12:17: The rise of Bitcoin as a global reserve currency

15:16: Hemi’s innovations: Proof of Proof mining and beyond

20:20: Bitcoin DeFi: Challenges and opportunities

25:00: Macro trends driving Bitcoin adoption

30:00: The future of Bitcoin DeFi and Hemi’s roadmap

35:00: Bitcoin’s role in a decentralized financial future

40:00: Closing thoughts and where to find Hemi

In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, we sit down with Hasu, strategic advisor to Lido, to explore their cutting-edge developments in Ethereum staking. From the introduction of dual governance to the game-changing Lido V3 upgrade, Hasu breaks down how Lido is enhancing decentralization, liquidity, and security for stakers. We also dive into the evolving role of Ethereum in DeFi, the future of staking for institutions, and the broader implications of programmable money.

Chapters 

00:07 Introduction

01:22 Introduction to Lido and Its Importance

02:49 Governance Changes in Lido

06:03 Understanding Dual Governance

08:51 Participation and Engagement in Governance

11:46 Systemic Risks of Centralized Staking

14:37 Decentralization and Node Operators

17:50 The Future of Lido and Ethereum

20:39 Becoming a Node Operator in Lido

23:46 Distributed Validator Technology (DVT)

29:32 Understanding DVT and Its Impact on Ethereum

31:54 The Debate on Staking Caps for Ethereum

39:50 Ethereum's Role in DeFi and Beyond

47:40 Introducing Lido V3: A New Era of Staking

55:38 Future Integrations and Growth of Lido

Privacy in the digital age is more than a feature—it's a necessity. In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, host Vinny sits down with Georgi Koreli, co-founder and CEO of Hinkal Wallet, to explore the cutting-edge innovations shaping Web3 privacy. From Georgie’s fascinating journey from professional wrestling to crypto entrepreneurship, to the challenges of public blockchains and the solutions Hinkal Wallet offers, this conversation dives deep into the future of decentralized finance.

Discover how privacy stacks, invisible wallets, and decentralized coordination are transforming the financial ecosystem, and learn why privacy is the key to unlocking mass adoption in crypto. Georgi also shares insights on regulatory challenges, the role of compliance, and how enterprises can prepare for the next wave of blockchain innovation.

Chapters:

00:07 Transparency vs. Privacy: The paradox of innovation and exposure in Web3.

03:05 Introduction to the podcast and Georgie Corelli.

03:22 Georgi’s Background and Journey to Crypto

04:27 Public Blockchains and Privacy

05:16 The Concept of Invisible Wallets

10:01 Regulatory Perspectives in Europe

12:58 The New Privacy Stack

15:42 Public vs. Private Blockchains

17:18 Privacy and Compliance

20:08 Lessons from Recent Data Breaches

24:02 Decentralized Coordination and Privacy

28:15 Preparing for Mass Adoption of Crypto

32:08 The Future of Privacy in Finance

39:22 Closing Thoughts

In this episode of the Defiant Podcast, we sit down with Michael Bentley, co-founder and CEO of Euler Labs, to explore one of the most remarkable comeback stories in DeFi history. From a devastating $200M exploit in 2023 to surpassing $1B in outstanding loans, Euler Labs has redefined resilience and innovation in the crypto space.

Michael shares the emotional and technical challenges of navigating the exploit, the process of recovering funds, and the lessons learned along the way. We also dive into the evolution of Euler Labs, the launch of V2, and their groundbreaking innovations in DeFi lending, borrowing, and stablecoins.

Whether you're a crypto enthusiast, a DeFi builder, or just love a good comeback story, this episode is packed with insights, inspiration, and a behind-the-scenes look at the future of decentralized finance.

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction

01:27 - Meet Michael Bentley: CEO of Euler Labs

02:03 - The Early Days: From PhD to Crypto

04:02 - Founding Euler Labs: Hackathon Beginnings

08:10 - Innovations in DeFi Lending

13:00 - The 2023 Exploit: What Happened?

20:33 - Recovering $200M: Negotiating with the Hacker

33:04 - Picking Up the Pieces: Team Resilience

36:41 - Launching V2: A New Chapter

42:29 - Differentiating Euler Labs in DeFi

45:24 - The Future of DeFi: Institutional Adoption

50:43 - Lessons for Founders: Resilience and Security

52:24 - Closing Thoughts: The Hard Things Are Worth It

Join us for an in-depth conversation with Steven Goldfeder, Co-Founder and CEO of Offchain Labs, the parent company of Arbitrum—the leading Ethereum Layer 2 solution by Total Value Locked (TVL).

In this episode, we explore:

How optimistic rollups work and their role in Ethereum's scalability

The ZK vs. optimistic rollup debate

The future of Ethereum L2s and their impact on the Ethereum ecosystem

Steven’s insights on DeFi growth, ETH vs. BTC, and the importance of neutrality in tech stacks

The episode kicks off with a special clip from AJ Warner, Co-Founder of Arbitrum, recorded at EthCC, before diving into Steven’s journey into blockchain and his vision for the future of Ethereum scalability.

00:00:00 – Why Ethereum Made Rollups Too Cheap to Ignore

00:00:31 – Meet AJ Warner, Co-Founder of Arbitrum (Live from EthCC!)

00:00:45 – Robinhood’s Big Crypto Announcement: What It Means for Ethereum

00:06:10 – Transition to Steven Goldfeder: The Visionary Behind Arbitrum

00:07:05 – Steven’s Journey: From Academia to Blockchain Pioneer

00:13:24 – Optimistic Rollups 101: How They Supercharge Ethereum

00:21:06 – ZK vs. Optimistic Rollups: The Great Debate

00:29:34 – How Ethereum L2s Are Strengthening the Ethereum Mainnet

00:36:20 – What More Can Ethereum Do to Support L2s?

00:38:57 – The Status of Stage 2 L2s: What’s Next?

00:40:12 – Enshrining L2s: The Future of Ethereum Scalability

00:40:25 – Infrastructure Trade-Offs: Making the Right Choices

00:46:35 – Bridging the Gap: Interoperability Between L1s and L2s

00:51:38 – What Sets Arbitrum Apart from the Competition?

00:56:51 – Neutrality and Fairness: The Cornerstones of Tech Stacks

01:04:52 – DeFi’s Next Chapter: Steven’s Predictions for ETH, BTC, and Beyond

01:08:37 – Closing Thoughts: The Road Ahead for Ethereum and Arbitrum

Don’t miss this deep dive into the world of Ethereum Layer 2s and the innovations shaping the future of blockchain.

Explore the unfolding landscape of crypto and blockchain innovation in our in-depth interview with Stuart Popejoy, CEO of Kadena and former head of JP Morgan’s Center for Blockchain Excellence. Guided by the following chapters, this conversation illuminates the journey from the earliest days of institutional blockchain to Kadena’s latest breakthroughs:

00:00 – Defiant Intro

00:07 – When cost savings alone couldn’t revive crypto’s promise

00:55 – Meet Stuart Popejoy: Kadena’s vision, shaped by lessons from JP Morgan

06:00 – JPM Coin’s evolving roadmap

07:35 – Early hurdles building enterprise blockchain at JP Morgan

10:38 – Why technology alone isn’t enough—it must disrupt

13:57 – Kadena’s own answer: scalability, chainweb, and the art of possibility

16:25 – The real challenges builders face in scaling dApps

16:56 – Bitcoin proposals lost to time

17:50 – Braiding chains: scaling without losing stability

23:27 – Kadena’s bold $50 million grant program—fueling a new era for developers

25:15 – The role of real-world assets (RWAs) in blockchain’s evolution

29:00 – Public blockchains as a frontier for finance and technology

30:00 – Closing infrastructure gaps on the road to mass adoption

33:00 – How do we inspire an active, not passive, crypto user base?

35:42 – Why self-custody is the change we need in consumer behavior

38:10 – Next-gen adoption: getting all ages onchain

40:13 – What traditional finance keeps getting wrong about blockchain

42:48 – Kadena’s next moves after making waves at EthCC

44:20 – Reflections and closing remarks

From the keys of disruption and the quest for scalability to transformative grant programs and the vision for a blockchain-powered future beyond EthCC, this is crypto at its most reflective and real.

🔗 Links & Details: 

Explore Kadena’s grant program https://www.kadena.io/grants

In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, we sit down with Vlad Tenev, Co-founder and CEO of Robinhood, to explore how Robinhood is bringing tokenized U.S. stocks to the EU, launching an Ethereum L2 with Arbitrum tech, and shaping the future of finance. From tokenized private shares to the long-term vision of blockchain adoption, Vlad shares insights on regulation, innovation, and the battle between Robinhood and Coinbase. Is crypto the backbone of global finance? Tune in to find out!

Chapters:

00:00 Intro: How do you get people in the U.S. excited about stocks onchain?

00:52 Introduction to Vlad Tenev, Co-Founder and CEO of Robinhood

01:30 Tokenized U.S. stocks, private company stocks, Robin Hood blockchain, USDG, and other announcements

02:35 Robinhood offers tokenized U.S. stocks to customers in the EU

06:52 Primary market for private companies’ tokenized shares

13:55 Robinhood launches Ethereum L2 using Arbitrum tech

18:45 Will Robinhood launch a token?

20:00 What regulation will need to happen in the U.S. to launch these products here?

24:47 How do these crypto announcements fit into the long term vision of RH?

28:43 RH chain as an enabler for this vision of global adoption

30:45 Will crypto remain a niche asset class or become the backbone of finance?

35:10 Robinhood vs. Coinbase

37:10 The DeFi Mullet: UX and DeFi on Robinhood

41:55 What makes Vlad a believer in crypto innovation?

46:10 Closing remarks

Looking to understand stablecoins, onchain yields, and the future of DeFi?

Join us as Vikram Arun, CEO of Superform, shares expert insights on stablecoin yield strategies, the role of Web3 technology in automation, and whether 20% onchain yields are truly sustainable in today’s crypto economy. 

Plus, we explore the impact of the GENIUS Act on the crypto industry and discuss the intersection of innovation and regulation in shaping the future of digital assets. 

Topics Included: 

The evolution of stablecoins as a financial tool 

Why automation is critical for DeFi growth 

The long-term potential of yield-generating assets 

The fading stigma of crypto and its real-world financial integration 

Chapters:

00:00 Defiant Info

00:41 Introduction to Vikram Arun, Founder and CEO of Superform

01:31 Crypto is a better form of money

03:30 Early AMMs as an entry into crypto

05:44 Stablecoins and yield 

07:35 20% onchain yield on Superform: is it sustainable?

11:03 Web3 tech with Web2 functionality 

13:23 Automation in stablecoin yield

15:51 The GENIUS Act’s effects on the crypto ecosystem

17:30 GENIUS and decentralization

21:20 The importance of demand in ideating crypto products

22:55 Circle, Stripe, Paypal, and public sentiment towards stablecoins

24:27 Interest rates hold steady, what’s the impact on crypto?

26:40 Speculation and the memecoin resurgence

30:00 Yield-generating assets and age demographics

32:05 Integrating wealth building into people’s mindsets with DeFi

33:45 The next phase of onchain yield

36:25 Will this innovation be enough to defeat crypto’s bad reputation?

37:48 Crypto’s rising tide into TradFi and daily life

39:55 NFTs in the next DeFi summer

41:48 Advice for people who want to start earning yield

43:00 Lightning round!

43:55 Closing remarks

What does the future of blockchain look like, and where do multi-chain systems fit in? On this episode, we're joined by Emin Gün Sirer, CEO and Founder of Ava Labs and one of the most prominent figures in blockchain innovation. Emin unpacks how Avalanche is reshaping the decentralized world with its groundbreaking consensus protocol, multi-chain scaling, and commitment to maintaining blockchain’s core values. 

We also discuss:

Avalanche vs. Bitcoin and Ethereum

Gaming and DeFi innovations on Avalanche 

Fighting centralization and the challenges of scale 

The role of stablecoins and central banks in Avalanche’s ecosystem 

Chapters:

00:00 Defiant intro

00:07 If the future of blockchain is centralized, I don’t want to be here

00:54 intro to Emin Gün Sirer, Founder and CEO of Ava Labs

04:29 Building the fastest consensus protocol on the market

04:43 How is Avalanche different from Bitcoin?

08:10 Avalanche vs. other multi chain systems 

12:16 L2 scaling vs. multi chain scaling

16:55 Evaluating Ethereum’s promises 

19:45 Interoperability on Avalanche

20:25 What’s the narrative behind Avalanche?

23:47 Avalanche’s long term strategy 💫

26:25 Gaming example: OTG

29:16 How flexible are Avalanche chains?

31:13 How do you maintain the tenets of blockchain across chains?

33:05 What's the liquidity breakdown between these L1 chains?

34:54 Avalanche’s TVL vs users and adoption

38:00 Fighting centralization on Avalanche 

43:15 AVAX value and uses

45:58 Increased activity on Avalanche

48:00 It’s been a Bitcoin story: where do alt projects fit in?

53:33 Stablecoins and exciting catalysts for DeFi

53:15 Assets want to be digital

55:35 How do stable coins fit into Avalanche?

56:19 Prediction: central banks getting into stablecoins

57:11 Challenges with central banks getting into stablecoins

59:13 The next major milestones for Avalanche

01:06:52 Closing Remarks

Ethereum Staking ETFs are gaining traction—but what does this mean for crypto investors? Evan Weiss, COO of Alluvial, breaks it down. Get key insights on regulation, institutional staking infrastructure, and the financial benefits for everyday users. Plus, learn how institutional players are driving change in the staking ecosystem and the potential for ETFs to revolutionize and democratize crypto investments.

From Capitol Hill to the crypto ecosystem, Evan Weiss dives into the growing momentum behind Ethereum Staking ETFs.

Chapters:

00:00 Defiant Intro

00:07 Intro Quote

00:43 Intro to Evan Weiss, COO of Alluvial and Founder of POSA

03:09 Proof of Stake Alliance, staking, and regulation

05:57 POSA on Capitol Hill

08:26 Ethereum ETFs gaining momentum

12:31 Case study: 3iQ Ethereum Staking ETF

13:53 Staking, liquidity, and better returns for consumers

15:17 REX Shares proposes Ethereum staking ETF classified as a C-corporation

18:16 How Pectra has influenced institutional staking infrastructure on Ethereum

21:51 Normalizing staking for everyday users

25:41 How staking democratizes transaction fees

28:19 SEC’s May 29, 2025 Staking Statement

29:33 Staking is not a small business

30:34 Staking industry coming together on regulation

32:17 Increased security and rewards in crypto investing

34:59 Key steps for institutions and governments in regulating crypto

37:52 Will Ethereum Staking ETFs be as common as stocks?

38:16 Tradfi’s creativity meets crypto technology

39:00 The role of liquid staking evolving with institutional activity

40:23 Closing Remarks

What happens when traditional finance and decentralized finance collide? Join us in this insightful interview with Sandy Kaul, Head of Innovation at Franklin Templeton, as we explore the firm’s groundbreaking crypto experiments, DeFi-enabled opportunities, and the future of tokenized money market funds. 

Key Topics Covered 

Franklin Templeton’s onchain money market fund 

How evolving crypto infrastructure is reshaping TradFi 

New TradFi products enabled by crypto 

Tokenization vs. stablecoins 

Supply chain and enterprise resource management powered by DeFi 

Regulation, obstacles, and the merging of TradFi and DeFi 

Get a front-row seat to how one of the world’s leading financial institutions is driving innovation in the space.

Chapters:

00:00 Defiant Intro

01:04 Introduction to Sandy Kaul, Head of Innovation at Franklin Templeton

06:56 Franklin Templeton experimenting with crypto to save costs

08:11 Franklin Templeton’s onchain money market fund

09:26 Evolving crypto infrastructure from 2019 to today

11:42 What do institutions look for when planning to launch a product onchain?

13:41 Choosing blockchains based on use cases

16:15 Three new TradFi offerings enabled by crypto

19:56 Additional applications for DeFi: supply chain management

21:56 Additional applications for DeFi: enterprise resource management systems

22:49 Tokenized money market funds vs. stablecoins

25:11 Product bundles and asset classes

28:31 Obstacles to offering more crypto products

31:26 What clarity are you looking to regulation for?

34:16 Complex DeFi products being accepted in TradFi 

35:13 DeFi and TradFi need to support one another

37:04 Regulation will open up new pools of assets and value 

38:56 What will the merging of TradFi and crypto look like?

41:10 Will the back of house for these firms move onchain?

42:55 Consumer demand for crypto products

47:15 Payments outside of fiat

48:34 Incorporating crypto into Franklin Templeton model portfolios

50:35 What is the demand for current crypto offerings?

54:30 What does success look like for Franklin Templeton?

55:30 Closing Remarks

In this episode of the Defiant Podcast, Vinny speaks with Alex Estorick, Editor in Chief of Right Click Save, about the evolving landscape of NFTs and digital art. They discuss the convergence of art and technology, the financialization of culture, and the role of artists in a world where art and finance are increasingly intertwined. The conversation also touches on the emergence of meme coins as cultural artifacts, the diversity within the crypto community, and the challenges artists face regarding royalties in the NFT space. 

Highlights of this episode include:

The convergence of art and technology 

The emergence of meme coins as cultural artifacts 

Diversity and challenges within the crypto and NFT space 

Opportunities for artists in DeFi and Web3 

The role of AI, tokenized data, and decentralized ownership in the future. 

00:00 Episode Intro

03:08 Introduction to Alex Estorick and the NFT Revolution

04:55 Financialization of Art and Culture

08:37 The Role of Artists in a Financialized World

12:13 Cultural Moments and Meme Coins

15:38 Diversity of Habits and Politics in the Crypto Community

17:40 Takeaways from Conversations at NFC

19:10 Is the Battle for Blockchain Dominance Necessary?

20:25 Renewed Bullishness on Ethereum

22:45 Reactions to the Debate Around Royalties

28:30 The Evolution of Value in Digital Art

30:20 Exploring DeFi Opportunities for Artists

35:35 The Intersection of Crypto and AI

37:25 Tokenizing Personal Data and Personhood

42:01 Decentralized AI and Data Ownership

45:05 The Future of Crypto in a Dystopian Landscape

48:15 Navigating the Complexities of Web3 and Digital Economy

50:15 Closing Remarks

In this conversation, Camila Russo interviews Tomasz Stanczak, Co-Executive Director of the Ethereum Foundation, discussing the evolution of Ethereum, addressing criticisms, and the foundation's strategic initiatives. They explore the importance of communication, the restructuring of the foundation, and the focus on scaling Ethereum through L1 and L2 dynamics. 

Tomasz shares insights on the vision for Ethereum as a global economy, balancing user needs with core values, and the foundation's treasury management and DeFi strategies. The conversation concludes with a look at future developments and milestones for Ethereum.

Takeaways:

Ethereum has evolved significantly since its inception, focusing on scaling and communication.

The Ethereum Foundation has faced criticism regarding its communication strategies.

Restructuring within the foundation aims to enhance protocol development and management.

Funding and support for developers are crucial for the ecosystem's growth.

The relationship between L1 and L2 is vital for Ethereum's scaling strategy.

Ethereum aims to position itself as a global economy hub.

User needs and core values must be balanced for long-term success.

Treasury management strategies are evolving to include DeFi protocols.

The foundation is committed to transparency and community engagement.

Future milestones include significant scaling and security improvements.

Chapters:

00:00 Defiant Intro

00:07 Episode Teaser

01:24 Hero Quote

01:35 Introduction to Tomasz Stańczak, Co-Executive Director of the Ethereum Foundation

03:18 Community Criticism and Foundation Response

06:45 Strategic Actions by the Ethereum Foundation 

09:39 Building a Supportive Ecosystem for Developers

13:50 The strengths of Ethereum as a Network

17:17 Scaling Ethereum: L1 and L2 Dynamics

20:55 The One Trillion Security Initiative

23:00 Specific Milestones in the Short Term

25:53 Navigating the Tension: World Computer vs. Store of Value

29:15 Ethereum as a Global Economy

30:43 Will Solana Become An Ethereum L2?

32:43 User Priorities: Decentralization vs. Usability

37:02 Treasury Management and ETH Sales

36:55 The Role of Stablecoins in Ethereum's Future

39:55 The Impact of Ethereum Foundation's DeFi Allocations

42:00 Guiding DeFi Protocols Towards Security and Decentralization

51:10 The Future of Ethereum: Use Cases and Community Expectations

54:50 Upcoming Milestones for Ethereum

56:50 Closing Remarks

This week, we spoke with Rob Viglione, Co-founder and CEO of Horizen Labs, to explore the groundbreaking potential of Zero Knowledge Proofs (ZKP) in safeguarding digital privacy, bridging TradFi and DeFi, and creating income streams for consumers that empower them through the ownership of their own digital data.

From balancing transparency and onchain privacy to the intersection of AI and Web3, Rob dives into the critical role cryptography will play in reshaping how we share and protect data. Learn how ZKPs can combat data misuse, empower individuals to monetize their information, and reimagine compliance as we step into a world where privacy is a fundamental human right.

Key Highlights:

1. How ZKPs protect medical records and financial history

2. Will banks adapt, or become irrelevant?

3. The role of cryptography in privacy-centric AI systems

Don’t miss this thought-provoking discussion packed with insights on the future of data, privacy, and decentralized innovation.

Chapters:

00:00 Defiant Intro

00:07 Podcast Teaser

00:52 Hero Quote

00:59 Introduction to Rob Viglione

01:34 The beauty of ZKPs

02:40 How to balance transparency and privacy onchain

04:00 Why it’s so easy to overshare data

04:50 Living in an age of constant data leaks

06:34 The concept of wealth is fundamentally different now

07:33 Google adopts ZKP to verify age

09:00 A world of a trillion proofs

09:30 How can Web3 handle growing volumes of proofs?

10:09 Will Web2 relinquish their chokehold on our data?

11:52 Monetizing data as an incentive to online privacy

12:45 New opportunities for earning a living by monetizing your data

14:14 The intersection of crypto and AI

16:17 ZKPs and data protection

18:00 ZKPs and AI in medical records and financial history

20:18 How can ZKPs act as a safeguard against misuse in AI

22:15 Hackers and scammers are a certainty; how do we fight them?

22:36 Cryptography, ZKPs, and privacy-centric AI systems?

25:13 Why is privacy a human right?

26:25 Institutions, privacy, and Web3

26:45 Institutions coming onchain

28:30 Better communicating privacy as a human right in the context of Web3

30:30 Will ZKPs change the way people interact with the internet?

32:11 Marketing in the age of AI

33:24 ZKPs and KYC

35:40 Why ZKPs are bad for bad actors

37:38 Government regulation vs. Web3 companies regulating the industry themselves

39:00 It doesn’t make sense for politicians to be anti-crypto anymore

41:53 Can ZKPs redefine compliance and how it’s enforced?

43:13 How can ZKP tech support institutional privacy and consumer data?

44:45 TradFi onchain as a stepping stone to DeFi

46:39 Lightning round! Favorite existing use case for ZKP

46:54 Lightning round! Favorite potential use case for ZKP

48:04 Lightning round! Best advice for keeping your data safe online

48:49 Closing statements and where to follow Rob

Explore the world of crypto payroll and stablecoins with Megan Knab, cofounder and CEO of Franklin. From tackling crypto volatility to how stablecoins can reshape global economies, this episode dives into the challenges and opportunities for crypto-native payment infrastructure. 

Megan Knab shares her insights on crypto’s role in building a better financial ecosystem. We discuss everything from stablecoin-backed paychecks to how DeFi tools enhance accessibility. Tune in to understand why this innovative tech could be the foundation for a healthier society.

Chapters:

00:00 Defiant Intro

00:07 Teaser

00:28 Pull Quote

00:36 Introduction to Megan Knab

01:08 The path from Wall Street to crypto

03:31 Building back offices within Web3

04:53 How to tackle crypto’s volatility with payroll and paying bills in fiat

06:00 Labor laws and crypto

06:41 ERC-20 tokens in payroll

07:35 Eliminating intermediaries in the payroll business

09:12 Benefits to employers and employees beyond cross-border payments

10:54 Payroll as a building block for a healthy society

11:39 How do you calculate a paycheck?

13:14 The GENIUS bill and the future of stablecoins

15:02 Reserve of assets to back up the value of issued stablecoins

16:22 Fixed income and payment giants getting into crypto

16:55 The effects of big brands getting into stablecoins

18:05 Backwards views of crypto adoption

19:12 Democratic backlash to the GENIUS bill

20:25 The need for more effective crypto regulation

22:29 The points for and against crypto regulation

23:18 Crypto is not a political technology

23:52 The biggest winners in crypto have been lawyers

26:10 How do you determine which stablecoins to utilize for business?

28:36 MakerDAO as a major crypto innovation

29:33 How DeFi makes financial tools more accessible to the public

31:33 Stablecoin infrastructure in developing economies

33:30 Stablecoins as a means of USD dominance worldwide

35:09 Challenges for governments having assets onchain

36:06 Future legislation in crypto and investment

39:55 Lighting round!
Music: Future Highway by Picratio is licensed under a Attribution 4.0 International License.

Explore the cutting-edge intersection of AI, cryptocurrency, and startup culture in our latest episode. We spoke with Shaw Walters, Founder of Eliza Labs, about the exciting possibilities and challenges of AI agents in digital worlds, the crypto ecosystem, and token launches. Discover how these technologies are shaping a fairer, more inclusive future for investing and why real products and vision matter more than hype. 

Chapters:

00:00 Defiant introduction

00:07 Episode summary

00:54 Introduction to Shaw Walters and Eliza Labs

02:27 AI agents in digital worlds

10:56 Eliza as a framework for providing what GPT doesn’t

11:25 Writing actions for AI agents

14:10 Use cases for AI agents

14:55 Moving from one-on-one to group settings

16:33 Connecting Eliza to the crypto ecosystem

19:20 Pros and cons of AI agents in financial services

21:25 AI agents as an interface

24:53 auto.fun and launching AI agents

30:08 Fairer than fair token launch

31:58 A new age of investing in startups

32:32 The government does not trust you with your own money

34:33 Crypto workarounds for investing in startups

35:43 The Trump administration and our path to regulation

36:57 Changing laws around investing in startups

38:32 Decentralized AI and opening investment to the public

39:30 What will bring AI agents back to the forefront?

44:25 How to structure better launchpads for startups

46:00 Crypto markets in their current state are casinos

49:24 Jeffy Yu and Zerebro

53:36 Why the crypto culture needs to change

55:31 Real products and real vision

58:00 Closing remarks

This week, we spoke to Patrick Amadon about the complex intersections of digital privacy, surveillance, censorship, and the potential of decentralized AI. Amadon offers a critical perspective on some of the most pressing issues in technology, from the role of digital disobedience to the regulatory challenges surrounding cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence.

Key topics include: 

The potential of decentralized AI and Ethereum's pivotal role 

The impact of censorship on free speech in the digital era 

How AI and blockchain technology can empower individuals and artists 

Risks posed by centralized AI and the push for decentralization 

Strategies for protecting digital privacy and countering AI surveillance 

Amadon also examines how the framework for success in the digital age is shifting, emphasizing the importance of data ownership and financial independence. This conversation offers valuable insights for those interested in the evolving relationship between technology, freedom, and the pursuit of a decentralized future.

Chapters:

00:00 Defiant Intro

00:07 Decentralized AI is a win for Ethereum

01:30 Introduction to Patrick Amadon

02:08 Digital disobedience and decentralized ecosystems

04:10 Challenges in modern discourse

07:40 “No Rioters” and threats to free speech 

10:10 The place for disruption

12:00 The paths to success are changing

13:05 Crypto and data ownership

13:32 Meaningful AI Legislation

14:20 The race to AGI and why we need to beat China

16:48 Regulating crypto and AI

18:34 The failure of the stablecoin bill

22:08 “Passive Observer” and the role of the public in geopolitical events

27:50 Art as resistance to homogenizing the narrative

30:10 When crypto starts making sense to normies

30:55 The fight to decentralize AI

33:25 The risks of centralized AI

35:40 Our lack of digital security and privacy

37:32 Why should AI belong to the people?

38:00 AI’s effects on the job market

41:25 How to get under the hood of AI

45:00 AI lowers the barrier to entry for art, technology, and more

46:30 AI and the arts

49:20 The pros and cons of decentralization

50:32 Decentralized infrastructure, currency, and economy

52:15 The Pectra update

54:35 The power of owning your own currency

55:18 How will wallets as smart contracts affect artists?

55:40 The NFT art space only works as it imagines a new art world

58:00 Pectra and the future of meaningful technologies

58:55 A digital renaissance

01:00:58 Counter AI surveillance technology

01:05:00 Why is digital privacy so important?

01:12:15 VeilPNG and hiding data

01:13:20 Closing remarks

In today’s episode with cypherpunk and artist Gus Grillasca, we explore the intricate crossroads of cryptocurrency and global economics. From the propaganda of inflation to Bitcoin Ordinals and the NFT controversy, this episode challenges conventional narratives and opens up new perspectives. Hear Gus' insights on navigating the Ethereum ecosystem, the financialization of Bitcoin, and privacy coins in the digital age.

We also talk about the evolving role of crypto in Latin America, reflect on the surprising dynamics of meme coins, and uncover gaps in financial literacy that could shape the next chapter of blockchain adoption. Whether you’re captivated by the promise of stablecoins, intrigued by NFT permanence, or pondering crypto’s place in an unstable world, this episode offers thought-provoking insights and artistic freedom at its core.

INFLARE: https://scarce.city/goods/inflare 

Fierro Viejo: https://superrare.com/artwork/eth/0xb932a70A57673d89f4acfFBE830E8ed7f75Fb9e0/34374 

Chapters:

00:00 Defiant Intro

00:10 Inflation is bankers’ propaganda

00:50 Introduction to Gus Grillasca

01:38 Gus’ Journey into blockchain

02:35 Banking challenges for travelors

04:44 Rare Pepes, Ethereum NFTs, and Bitcoin Ordinals

07:44 Changing views on the Ethereum ecosystem

09:04 Bitcoin Ordinals, memes, and the NFT Controversy

10:30 Bitcoin Ordinals and NFT permanence

14:53 The controversy around updates to the Bitcoin protocol

16:28 “INFLARE” and The Space by Art of Freedom

17:25 Inflation as a monetary phenomenon

21:06 Global inflation, purchasing power, and the role of crypto in an unstable world

25:37 Is the financialization of Bitcoin good or bad for crypto?

27:25 Bitcoin Reserve and the Digital Asset Stockpile

30:36 Thoughts on $TRUMP and other meme coins

34:45 Changing expectations of investing in NFT

38:18 Crypto’s role in Latin America

45:35 “Fierro Viejo,” NFTs and intellectual property

50:00 A gap in financial literacy 

53:18 Ethereum’s changing roadmap

57:25 Privacy coins

59:40 The need for privacy in the digital age

01:03:05 Stablecoins, financial products, and exciting prospects in crypto 

01:05:56 Final Thoughts

Are crypto ETFs set to reshape the investing landscape? Join us on The Defiant as we dive deep into the future of crypto assets, the evolving regulatory environment, and the rise of index-based investing. Matt Hougan, CIO of Bitwise, shares his expert insights on what these changes mean for investors and how crypto ETFs could revolutionize access to digital assets. 

Chapters:

00:00 The Defiant Intro

00:10 Why tariffs could be bullish for Bitcoin 

00:41 Intro to Matt Hougan, CIO of Bitwise

01:35 The impact of U.S. interest rates on crypto markets 

04:00 Tariffs and their effects on crypto

08:24 How USD fluctuations affect global crypto trends 

10:15 Investor reactions to a weaker dollar

11:58 Bitcoin as a hedge against volatility

14:58 The role of traditional investors in driving Bitcoin’s price 

20:54 Regulatory insights and which assets stand to gain 

22:10 Crypto ETFs

24:50 What sets Bitwise apart in the crowded ETF space 

26:52 The rise (and slow start) of Ethereum ETFs

29:00 How will ETH staking play into demand?

30:21 How will an ETH staking fund be structured?

32:30 Top crypto assets to watch for the next wave of ETFs 

35:25 How index funds are influencing the future of crypto investing 

36:50 Crypto native investors

38:38 Index funds and the SEC

40:11 Ethereum’s coming of age and shifting goals

43:45 What can get 1000x users on Ethereum?

46:28 Ethereum vs. Solana and the next big trends 

48:31 Where and how different blockchains thrive

51:30 Predictions for 2025

53:10 Closing Remarks

Immerse yourself in the future of decentralized infrastructure in this exclusive interview with Amira Valliana from the Solana Foundation. Perfect for Web3 enthusiasts, this episode unpacks how onchain solutions are redefining physical networks, policy, and global collaboration.

Chapters & Key Topics: 

00:00 Introduction to decentralized infrastructure onchain 

00:33 Podcast & guest welcome 

03:16 Amira Valliana’s policy work at Solana Foundation 

09:19 Shaping blockchain policy and its real-world impact 

12:31 What is DePIN? (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks) 

15:25 Case Study spotlight: Geonet 

18:19 Current tech limits for onchain assets 

20:21 Experiments in tracking real-world objects via blockchain 

22:00 Supply chain challenges and onchain opportunities 

24:08 Using crypto to coordinate worldwide networks 

25:38 Helium Network deep-dive 

29:00 Future applications for Helium 

31:05 Exploring Hivemapper 

34:15 Bridging DePIN and AI innovation 

38:27 Decentralized AI and infrastructure synergy 

42:32 Macro trends (interest rates, tariffs, resources, and more) and their effect 

45:43 What’s next for decentralized physical infrastructure?

If you’re curious about DePIN, policy in Web3, or the next wave of decentralized AI, you’ll get actionable insights and real-world examples to fuel your curiosity. 

Subscribe and hit the bell for more interviews with leaders shaping the decentralized future!

Lending and borrowing onchain has quickly become one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing sectors in Decentralized Finance (DeFi). Among the leaders in this space is Maple Finance, a platform that has already facilitated over $800M in assets, showcasing the growing adoption and practicality of tokenized private credit for institutions. By bridging the gap between traditional finance and decentralized systems, Maple Finance is demonstrating how institutions can leverage blockchain technology for more efficient and transparent lending solutions.

In an insightful conversation, Camila Russo sat down with Maple Finance’s CEO, Sid Powell, to delve into the potential of real-world assets (RWAs) within DeFi, the evolving role of stablecoins in this ecosystem, and strategies to unlock new lending markets onchain. Their discussion highlights the rapid innovations taking place in the DeFi space and sheds light on the future of decentralized credit markets.

Explore the future of intellectual property on the blockchain in this insightful interview with Jason Zhao. Discover how Story Protocol is revolutionizing the way creators protect, share, and license their work. By bringing IP and copyright onchain, the protocol streamlines the process, ensures compliance with state and national laws, and secures rights in an innovative, transparent manner. Perfect for Web3 creators and blockchain developers ready to push boundaries and unlock new possibilities.

Chapters

00:00 - Intro: Jason Zhao, Co-founder and Chief Protocol Officer at Story Protocol 

00:45 - How Story Protocol is revolutionizing IP management on blockchain 

01:16 - Case study: Acquiring Justin Bieber's "Peaches" song rights 

02:34 - The vision: Making IP as programmable as stablecoins 

05:15 - Jason's background: From AI at DeepMind to blockchain 

08:58 - Story's technical architecture: Custom Layer 1 blockchain 

11:13 - Proof of Creativity Protocol explained 

13:15 - Storing full IP rights and metadata (beyond NFTs) 

18:47 - Legal framework and enforceable IP licenses 

21:36 - Mainstream IP vs. native Story Protocol IP 

24:07 - DeFi integration: Royalties and liquid IP markets 

27:31 - How creators monetize their work on Story 

29:50 - Tokenomics and the Big Bang staking event 

33:51 - Roadmap: IP Portal and future upgrades 

37:23 - David Goyer (Dark Knight trilogy) launching new IP on Story 

38:28 - Fraud prevention and attestation services 

45:02 - Staking mechanics and validator system 

49:08 - Meme coins and IP-backed tokens 

54:20 - The long-term vision: "HTTP for IP"

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Will Robinson, VP of Engineering at Coinbase, explores the company’s expanding role in decentralized finance (DeFi), highlighting the launch of Bitcoin-backed USDC loans through Morpho and Coinbase’s broader efforts to integrate DeFi solutions. He explains how Coinbase is working to connect centralized finance (CeFi) with DeFi by incorporating decentralized protocols while prioritizing security and regulatory compliance. Robinson also discusses the introduction of cbBTC as an alternative to WBTC, the company’s approach to multi-chain development, and its plans for further DeFi integrations. Additionally, he addresses ongoing debates about Ethereum Layer 2 networks and their impact on the main chain, emphasizing the importance of improved cross-chain interoperability. He also provides insights into Coinbase’s asset listing process, the role of meme coins in the crypto ecosystem, and the company’s broader mission to support a more open and accessible financial system.

Chapters

00:00 - Intro: Will Robinson, VP of Engineering at Coinbase

00:45 - Coinbase’s expanding role in DeFi

01:16 - Bitcoin-backed USDC loans powered by Morpho

02:34 - How Coinbase enables BTC holders to access liquidity

05:15 - Risks involved in Bitcoin-backed loans

08:58 - Liquidation risks and loan-to-value ratios

11:13 - Early demand and adoption of the product

13:15 - cbBTC vs. WBTC: Why Coinbase launched its own Bitcoin wrapper

18:47 - How cbBTC is issued and traded

21:36 - Coinbase’s approach to self-custody and wallets

24:07 - The role of Coinbase Wallet in bridging CeFi and DeFi

27:31 - Coinbase’s long-term DeFi strategy and future integrations

29:50 - Will DeFi become a mainstream part of traditional finance?

33:51 - Coinbase’s evolution from exchange to financial institution

34:34 - The rise of Base: How Coinbase grew its Layer 2

38:28 - Are Layer 2s parasitic to Ethereum?

49:08 - The role of meme coins in crypto and Coinbase’s listing process

54:20 - The future of on-chain finance and economic freedom

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Bill Barhydt, Founder and CEO of Abra, discusses the evolving landscape of cryptocurrency markets and investment strategies in this week's The Defiant Podcast. He attributes Bitcoin’s price movements to macroeconomic factors, including U.S. monetary policy and liquidity cycles, and notes a growing trend of companies holding Bitcoin on their balance sheets. Barhydt also examines Ethereum’s scalability challenges and the increasing role of DeFi in financial systems, suggesting that decentralized infrastructure could eventually become the standard for banking. Additionally, he expresses optimism about potential regulatory clarity in the U.S., particularly regarding stablecoins and digital asset classifications.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction: Bill Barhydt & Abra

00:48 - Barhydt’s Background in Crypto & Finance

02:23 - How Abra Manages Crypto Wealth

05:45 - Bitcoin Loans & Prime Brokerage Explained

10:10 - Crypto Market Volatility & Macroeconomic Factors

13:24 - Bitcoin Dominance & Altcoin Cycles

18:11 - Solana vs. Ethereum: Market Trends & Adoption

24:29 - U.S. Crypto Regulations & Policy Predictions

36:05 - Trump’s Crypto Involvement

39:04 - Institutional Interest in Bitcoin & ETFs

50:18 - The Future of DeFi & Traditional Banking

52:14 - Barhydt’s Price Predictions

54:12 - Final Thoughts & Closing Remarks

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Kain Warwick, founder of Synthetix and Infinex, discusses the evolution of DeFi and the trade-offs required to improve user experience while maintaining decentralization. He explains how Infinex aims to offer a more accessible, centralized exchange-like interface while remaining non-custodial, addressing long-standing UX challenges in DeFi. Warwick also reflects on Synthetix’s recent governance restructuring, competition from Hyperliquid, and the potential shift back to a stablecoin-focused model. Looking ahead, he highlights the importance of regulatory clarity, improved infrastructure, and greater accessibility in driving the next phase of DeFi growth.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to Kain Warwick

00:15 - Kain’s history in DeFi

01:26 - Motivation behind Infinex and staying in crypto

02:21 - Challenges of bull and bear markets

05:55 - The idea behind Infinex and UX innovation

08:40 - Trade-offs in building a user-friendly DeFi platform

17:05 - Passkeys and the seamless user experience

24:26 - Adoption metrics and user growth

26:51 - Future roadmap: Bitcoin, XRP, and Doge integration

33:08 - The Patron NFT sale: Lessons learned

37:19 - Synthetix updates: Governance and structural changes

39:27 - The role of attention in crypto success

47:50 - Synthetix’s stablecoin pivot and liquidity strategy

51:14 - Differentiating Synthetix’s stablecoin from others

54:03 - Avoiding the pitfalls of past algo stablecoins

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Preston Van Loon, an Ethereum core developer, joins The Defiant Podcast this week to discuss his role as a plaintiff in the high-profile Tornado Cash lawsuit against the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). He described how the sanctions imposed on Tornado Cash impacted legitimate users seeking privacy on Ethereum and underscored the significance of a recent appellate court ruling questioning whether smart contracts qualify as “property” under U.S. sanctions law. Van Loon also noted the possibility of a friendlier regulatory environment in the United States, suggesting that changing policy stances could spur crypto innovation. Finally, he addressed ongoing discussions within the Ethereum community about development priorities, governance structures, and the challenges of maintaining a decentralized protocol as the ecosystem grows.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction and Background

01:15 - What is Tornado Cash?

04:00 - Why Tornado Cash Was Sanctioned

06:45 - Filing the Lawsuit

09:50 - Court Ruling and Implications

14:00 - Next Steps in the Legal Case

18:00 - Privacy Rights and Crypto

24:00 - Impact on Builders and Industry

34:00 - Ethereum's Role and Future Challenges

50:00 - Community Feedback and Leadership

55:00 - Closing Remarks

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Sam Kazemian, founder of Frax Finance, outlined the development and goals of FraxUSD, a decentralized stablecoin designed to integrate with both traditional finance and decentralized ecosystems. The upgraded FraxUSD offers redeemability through custodians like BlackRock and SuperState while providing competitive yields through diversified strategies. Kazemian described Frax’s broader vision as building a digital economy anchored by its flagship stablecoin and Fraxstool, a high-performance Ethereum Layer 2.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction

00:48 - Founding Story and Differentiation of Frax

02:01 - Vision for Decentralized Stablecoins

02:41 - Features of FraxUSD

08:51 - Best of Both Worlds Design for FraxUSD

13:08 - Future of Stablecoins

23:05 - Yield Strategy of FraxUSD

34:16 - FraxUSD in Real World and On-Chain Usage

42:02 - Stablecoins as the Gateway to Crypto

47:12 - Roadmap and Future of Frax

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Zhouxun Yin, the Co-Founder of Magic Eden, joins The Defiant Podcast to discuss the evolution of one of the largest NFT marketplaces. In this episode, he shares the story behind Magic Eden’s founding, their decision to focus on Solana early on, and their multi-chain expansion strategy. Z dives into the challenges of navigating the bear market, enforcing royalties, and launching a token to unite their ecosystem. He also explores the future of NFTs, their integration with AI, and Magic Eden's ambitious shift toward becoming an all-encompassing on-chain trading platform.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction

00:30 - Founding Magic Eden

03:40 - Surviving FTX and Solana’s Challenges

07:20 - Navigating the NFT Bear Market

12:00 - The Bitcoin Ordinals Bet

16:00 - Multi-Chain Expansion

24:30 - Launching the $ME Token

32:00 - Addressing Airdrop Challenges

46:50 - The Royalty Debate

54:10 - Long-Term Vision for NFTs

01:03:00 - On-Chain Trading and Future Goals

01:10:35 - Closing Thoughts

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Sandy Peng, co-founder of Scroll, tells us the journey of building one of the most anticipated Ethereum Layer 2s, their focus on ZK rollups for scalability, and the unique value proposition of high security, decentralization, and low costs. Sandy discusses Scroll's transition from general purpose chain design to supporting specific use cases driven by ecosystem builders and founders. They explore challenges and lessons from Scroll's recent token airdrop, emphasizing the importance of clear communication, equitable distribution, and fostering a vibrant community. Sandy highlights the Scroll Open initiative and their long-term vision to create a thriving "city" for innovation and talent in the blockchain space.

Chapters

00:00 - Sandy Peng on Scroll's Rise

00:30 - Scroll’s Evolution and 2025 Vision

01:30 - The Founding Story of Scroll

02:30 - Why ZK Rollups?

04:00 - Scroll's Unique Edge in the L2 Space

07:00 - Transition to Use Case-Specific Chains

09:00 - Scroll's Vision for Builders and Founders

11:00 - Sub-Cent Costs and High Security Explained

15:00 - Decentralization: Scroll’s Progress and Plans

20:00 - Governance and the Role of Scroll Tokens

25:00 - Airdrop Lessons and Community Feedback

35:00 - Reflections on Token Distribution Trends

46:00 - Layer 2s and Ethereum’s Value Narrative

50:00 - Scroll Open: Building the Future Economy

58:00 - Scroll's Big Picture Vision

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Johann Kerbrat is the Vice President and General Manager of Robinhood Crypto, leading the charge in bringing crypto to millions of retail investors. In this episode, Johann shares the journey of Robinhood Crypto, from its early days of launching in 2018 to its recent innovations, including staking, self-custody wallets, and a potential shift towards a full-fledged crypto exchange. He discusses how Robinhood is leveraging blockchain to enhance efficiency, lower costs, and expand access to financial instruments.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction

00:14 - History of Robinhood Crypto

01:23 - Why Robinhood Added Crypto

02:42 - Robinhood's Perspective on Crypto

07:12 - How Robinhood Monetizes Crypto

12:31 - Competing with Crypto Exchanges

14:22 - Token Listing Strategy

16:53 - Balancing Features and Asset Expansion

18:17 - Staking in the EU and Regulatory Concerns

21:22 - Staking Demand and Customer Education

24:08 - Robinhood Wallet Features

27:23 - Self-Custody Wallet Metrics

28:49 - Meme Stock Frenzy and Decentralized Trading

31:42 - Blockchain for Settlement and Efficiency

39:08 - Marketplace vs. Exchange Transition

41:49 - Upcoming Milestones for Robinhood Crypto

43:19 - Market Trends and Future Vision

44:49 - Long-Term Vision for Robinhood Crypto

46:00 - Closing Remarks

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In this episode, Dimitry Gusakov, Community Staking Lead at Lido, discusses the protocol’s efforts to enhance decentralization and accessibility in Ethereum staking. He explains the launch of the Community Staking Module, which lowers barriers for individual validators while addressing concerns about centralization within the Ethereum ecosystem. The conversation also explores potential impacts of proposed Ethereum staking changes and Lido’s roadmap for further decentralization in 2025. Tune in to gain insights into the evolving landscape of liquid staking and its role in securing Ethereum.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction

00:14 - What is Lido and Liquid Staking?

02:20 - Liquid Staking Use Cases in DeFi

05:33 - Addressing Centralization Concerns in Lido

08:25 - Community Staking Module: Decentralization Efforts

10:49 - Requirements to Become a Home Validator

13:26 - Rewards and Entry Barriers for Home Validators

16:12 - Hardware Setup for Validators

23:39 - Socialized Rewards and Offline Allowances

26:38 - Higher Rewards for Running a Node

34:23 - Impact of CSM on Lido’s Decentralization

41:13 - Ethereum Security and the Importance of Decentralization

52:19 - Ethereum Issuance Proposal: Implications for Lido

01:06:07 - Future Developments for Lido in 2025

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In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake dives deep into the Beam Chain proposal, a transformative upgrade aimed at accelerating Ethereum’s roadmap and enhancing its consensus layer. Justin explains how the Beam Chain would incorporate key innovations like SNARK proofs, quantum security, and single-slot finality to boost decentralization, security, and scalability. He also discusses incremental upgrades like staking caps and pre-confirmations, which aim to improve Ethereum’s performance and user experience in the near term. The conversation explores Ethereum’s competition with Solana and Bitcoin, highlighting how Ethereum’s long-term focus on robustness and scalability positions it to thrive as the foundational layer for the decentralized internet.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction: Justin Drake

01:03 - What is the Beam Chain?

02:41 - Why Ethereum Needs Acceleration

05:06 - Lessons from the Merge for the Beam Chain

07:06 - Solving Ethereum’s Technical Debt

15:58 - Faster Confirmation Times

18:11 - Pre-confirmations in Ethereum

24:14 - Layer 1 and Layer 2 Pre-confirmations

30:41 - Big Ticket Changes in the Beam Chain

31:04 - Snarkification of Consensus Layer

33:31 - Single Slot Finality

39:00 - Trustless Bridges Between Blockchains

49:00 - Native Rollups and Execution Sharding

54:04 - Ethereum vs. Solana on Performance

01:10:00 - Near-Term Upgrades to Watch For

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Hart Lambur, co-founder of Across Protocol and UMA, discusses Across’s mission to enable fast, low-cost asset transfers between Ethereum layer twos, with a focus on creating a seamless user experience. He explains how the protocol’s “intent architecture” leverages third-party solvers to improve cross-chain interactions, offering a cohesive way for users to transfer assets and execute transactions across different Ethereum networks. Lambur also emphasizes the importance of Ethereum’s upcoming account abstraction upgrades in achieving a unified ecosystem, allowing actions on any Ethereum chain from a single wallet. He envisions a future by 2025 where Ethereum feels like a unified network, improving user experience significantly.

Chapters

00:04 - Introduction to Hart Lambur

00:14 - Hart’s Background and Motivation for Building Across Protocol

00:50 - Integration with Uniswap

10:34 - Challenges in Ethereum Interoperability and Gas Fees

12:03 - Ethereum’s Scalability Achievements and New Issues

18:04 - Account Abstraction: ERC-7702 and Its Role in Ethereum

27:02 - Intents Architecture

41:00 - Current User Experience Issues in Ethereum and Solutions

52:32 - Hart’s Vision for Ethereum as a Unified Network by 2025

57:08 - Closing Thoughts on Ethereum’s Future and Overcoming Fragmentation

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Nana Murugesan, President of Matter Labs and former VP of Business Development at Coinbase, joins Camila Russo in this week’s podcast to discuss the latest updates from ZKsync, including the recently launched Elastic Chain. He explains how ZKsync’s approach to interoperability and customization aims to make Web3 infrastructure as seamless as Web2, emphasizing the importance of user-friendly experiences for mainstream adoption. Nana also highlights Matter Labs' partnership with Buenos Aires to bring ZK-backed digital identity to millions of citizens, showcasing a promising model for government and Web3 collaboration. Finally, he shares upcoming milestones for ZKsync, with new chains and collaborations in Latin America, gaming, and the creator economy.

Chapters

0:00 - Introduction

0:17 - ZKsync and Elastic Chain

2:57 - Evolution of ZKsync

5:22 - Interoperability and Customizability in Web3

7:30 - User Experience

10:16 - The Role of Governments in Blockchain Adoption

14:41 - Digital Identity on the Blockchain

17:18 - Why Zero-Knowledge Proofs Matter

21:02 - Cost and Throughput Advantage of ZKsync

25:07 - UX and Interoperability Challenges

27:05 - ZKsync in Latin America

30:05 - Upcoming Projects on Elastic Chain

32:39 - Future Focus for Matter Labs

33:46 - Closing Remarks

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In this week’s podcast, Dylan Kawalec, Head of Developer Relations at Goat Network, discusses the Goat Founders Club, which is a new initiative aimed at empowering developers and entrepreneurs to build on the Bitcoin Layer 2 ecosystem. He explains how the program incentivizes builders through a unique points reward system that can be converted into tokens, fostering a more developer-centric community. Dylan also dives into the technical aspects of the Goat Network, including its decentralized sequencer model and use of zero-knowledge rollups, to enhance Bitcoin's scalability and interoperability. Lastly, he shares his personal story of how Bitcoin transformed his life, highlighting his unwavering passion and optimism for the future of the network.

Chapters

00:00 - Dylan Kawalec and GOAT Network

00:16 - What is the GOAT Founders Club?

03:46 - About GOAT Network: Bitcoin Layer 2 Overview

05:12 - Differentiation from Other Layer 2s

07:00 - Founders Club Tracks for Developers

11:03 - Governance Token: Future Role of GOAT Token

12:28 - Role of Bitcoin on GOAT Network

15:07 - Sequencer Model and Bridging to Other Chains

21:00 - Dylan’s Personal Bitcoin Story

24:56 - Inspiration Behind Founders Club

42:11 - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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Adeniyi Abiodun is the co-founder of Mysten Labs and a major contributor to the Sui blockchain. In this week’s podcast, he discusses Sui's unique positioning as a "global coordination layer for the internet," emphasizing its decentralized nature and its technical advancements such as parallel execution and the use of the Move programming language. He highlights the expertise of the team behind Sui, their focus on scalability, and the potential for Sui to revolutionize payments and digital asset ownership. Abiodun also addresses challenges like decentralization concerns and outlines future growth areas, including gaming and DeFi.

Chapters

0:00 - Introduction with Adeniyi Abiodun, Co-founder of Mysten Labs

0:42 - What is Sui and how it's different from other L1s

1:50 - Addressing the centralization problem of the internet

3:52 - Scalability and throughput advantages of Sui

5:24 - How Sui solves scalability and throughput challenges

7:31 - Move language: A better approach for Web3 development

10:33 - Object-based model vs account-based model in blockchains

16:00 - Sui token's recent price surge and adoption trends

19:16 - Native USDC launch and its impact on DeFi growth

22:11 - Sui's low latency and fast transaction speeds

33:19 - Expanding Web3 adoption and onboarding billions of users

45:37 - Sui’s vision for the future

This episode was sponsored by:

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John Avlon is a congressional candidate for New York, advocating for bipartisan support of emerging technologies like cryptocurrency. In this week's podcast, John emphasizes the need for clear and reasonable regulation to foster innovation without stifling it, while warning against making technology a partisan issue. Avlon critiques the current regulatory landscape, including the approach of figures like Gary Gensler, and highlights the potential risks of pushing innovation overseas. He advocates for Democrats to embrace technology as a key driver of U.S. competitiveness, underscoring that this election will shape the trajectory of the nation's future.

Chapters

0:00 Intro to John Avlon

1:02 Pivotal Moment For Crypto

3:50 US Crypto Policy

8:40 Regulatory Framework

17:40 Trust In Kamala Harris

26:30 Crypto Lobby

31:21 Balance In Regulation

44:05 John Avlon's Bags

47:12 Threat To Democracy

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Jack Booth is the co-founder of TON Society, a grassroots initiative driving community engagement in the Ton blockchain ecosystem, closely integrated with the Telegram messaging app. Booth explained how TON is evolving as a Web3 super app, bringing decentralized applications and financial tools to a global audience. He discussed the ecosystem’s unique structure, built on Telegram’s open mini-apps platform, enabling users to seamlessly access crypto services. Booth also emphasized TON's vision of onboarding millions of new users into crypto by creating simple, user-friendly applications and fostering mass adoption outside the U.S.

00:00 - Introduction & TON's Relationship with Telegram

02:35 - TON's Vision for Web3 & Telegram Mini Apps

05:15 - The History of TON and Regulatory Challenges

07:22 - Telegram Integrates TON Wallet

09:56 - TON’s Focus on Emerging Markets

13:07 - TON Society & Community Building

17:30 - TON Blockchain's Sharding Model

21:11 - Scaling Challenges

24:20 - TON’s Deflationary Potential

29:25 - Pavel Durov's Arrest & Impact on TON

39:31 - Power of Telegram's Announcement Channels

44:01 - Centralization vs. Decentralization in TON

49:01 - TON as a Web3 Super App

53:19 - Tap-to-Earn Apps & Airdrops

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Paul Frambot, co-founder and CEO of Morpho Labs, explains how Morpho is a decentralized and permissionless lending protocol that allows users to create customized lending and borrowing pools. Unlike traditional DeFi platforms like Aave, Morpho externalizes risk management, giving users control over their risk exposure and liquidity. Frambot shares how Morpho started as a rate-optimizing solution and evolved into Morpho Blue, a more scalable protocol with over $1 billion in deposits. He discusses the advantages of building in Europe, Morpho's vision to make financial infrastructure a public good, and how fintech partnerships could drive future DeFi adoption. We also touch on Morpho's upcoming token launch and its long-term strategy to compete with other major DeFi protocols.

0:00 - Intro to Paul Frambot

0:30 - What is Morpho and How it Differs from Competitors

2:00 - Paul's Background and Entry into DeFi

3:30 - Early Development of Morpho Optimizer

5:00 - Transition to Morpho Blue and Permissionless Lending

8:00 - Managing Risk, Liquidity, and Customization

11:00 - Real-World Assets and New Use Cases in DeFi

14:00 - Challenges and Advantages of Building in Europe

18:00 - Morpho's Long-Term Vision: Financial Infrastructure as a Public Good

23:00 - Future of DeFi: Fintech Integration and Token Launch

28:00 - Competition with Aave and Growth Strategy

33:00 - The Role of Fintech in Scaling DeFi

38:00 - Long-Term Vision for DeFi and Fintech

43:00 - Morpho's Upcoming Tokenomics and Governance

48:00 - Future Trends and Adoption in DeFi

52:00 - Closing Thoughts and Paul's Outlook on DeFi

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