This episode of the #citizenweb3 podcast features Vik Sharɱa from Cake Wallet
Vik Sharma, believes cryptocurrency must remain permissionless, self-custodial, and truly connected to the blockchain, empowering people rather than surveillance companies. His mission is to make crypto accessible, human, and private for everyone, guided by the idea that the will of the people ultimately wins out.
Cake Wallet is a self-custody, privacy-focused crypto wallet that makes using Monero, Bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies simple and accessible for everyone. Designed to balance ease of use with powerful privacy features, it helps users stay in control while protecting their financial freedom.
Timestamps
00:00 – 03:01 : Intro
03:01 -- 08:30 : Combining steel and Monero
08:30 -- 14:14 : Importance of privacy
14:14 -- 16:37 : Winning the war on privacy
16:37 -- 18:50 : The paradox
18:50 -- 22:00 : Private and Public, Citizens and Governments
22:00 -- 28:50 : The goal
28:50 -- 36:01 : Regrets and/or challenges
36:01 -- 45:20 : Adoption and infrastructure
45:20 -- 48:17 : Talking about this space to others
48:17 -- 51:30 : Building community
51:30 -- 56:30 : Tribalism
56:30 – 01:00:57 : The Blitz
Special Guest: Vik Sharɱa.
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This episode of the #citizenweb3 podcast features Temujin Louie from Wanchain
Temujin Louie, warns that while compromise is inevitable, the industry must not abandon its original cyberpunk values and should focus on solving fundamental problems rather than chasing unsustainable trends. He stresses moving beyond token bridges, avoiding proprietary infrastructure, and aiming for true innovation that delivers lasting, open solutions.
Wanchain is a blockchain interoperability project connecting nearly 40 chains, enabling seamless cross-chain transactions and decentralized applications. Its mission is to replace fragmented, proprietary systems with open, sustainable infrastructure that drives real adoption and innovation.
Timestamps
00:00 – 07:50 : Intro
07:50 -- 09:50 : Shift of power
09:50 -- 11:45 : Social networks
11:45 -- 16:40 : Spectrums
16:40 -- 21:30 : Adoption and values
21:30 -- 26:03 : Growing from the community
26:03 -- 33:25 : Difference between Web2 and Web3
33:25 -- 40:50 : Blockchains bring in real revenue
40:50 -- 46:15 : Bridges and failure point
46:15 -- 52:04 : Cross-chain developer community and tribalism
52:04 -- 53:56 : Biggest myth or misconception about bridges
53:56 -- 58:59 : The Blitz
Special Guest: Temujin Louie.
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This episode of the #citizenweb3 podcast features Seun Lanlege from Hyperbridge
In an interview, Seun Lanlege shared bold views on philosophy, science, blockchain, and politics—ranging from calling math “alchemy” to claiming Nigeria has the worst election fraud and that the government is the “biggest criminal.” He criticized Ethereum, praised Solana, warned that states could destroy humanity, and touched on profit, capitalism, and the moral compass of life.
Polytope Labs is a blockchain R&D company focused on interoperability, privacy, and scalability, best known for its Hyperbridge protocol. Backed by Web3 Foundation and Polkadot grants, it develops infrastructure to securely connect decentralized networks.
Timestamps
00:00 – 03:36 : Intro
03:36 -- 10:20 : Being a developer and philosophy
10:20 -- 13:19 : Involvement with Polkadot and Ethereum
13:19 -- 15:30 : Mad scientist is born
15:30 -- 19:30 : Seeking truth
19:30 -- 26:19 : There are there only two
26:19 -- 34:30 : Use case for Tron
34:30 -- 36:10 : Getting people to want to make the world better
36:10 -- 42:02 : Government and legislation
42:02 -- 47:41 : Community building
47:41 -- 53:55 : Hacks and bridges
53:55 – 01:00:03 : The Blitz
Special Guest: Seun Lanlege.
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This episode of the #citizenweb3 podcast features Zac Williamson from Aztec
Zac Williamson, co‑inventor of the PLONK zero‑knowledge proof system, is a former Oxford particle physicist who calls himself a “physics refugee.” He leads the development of privacy‑focused blockchain tools to make money a form of autonomy and agency, aiming for fairer systems as breakthrough technologies reshape trust and justice.
Aztec Labs is a Layer‑2 network on Ethereum that uses zero‑knowledge proofs to enable private, scalable smart contracts. Its goal is to give users more autonomy and fairness in digital finance through privacy‑preserving technology.
Timestamps
00:00 – 01:17 : Intro
01:17 -- 06:11 : Physics to Web3
06:11 -- 15:20 : Explaining the values of Web3
15:20 -- 17:05 : P2P
17:05 -- 24:24 : What it looks like in five years
24:24 -- 28:40 : Breaking the system
28:40 -- 34:00 : Cryptography
34:00 -- 41:15 : ADHD
41:15 -- 46:30 : Semantics and privacy
46:30 -- 53:19 : Fear
53:19 -- 57:02 : Filling the gaps
57:02 -- 58:30 : The next generation
58:30 -- 01:03:00 : Increasing decentralization
01:03:00 – 01:05:15 : Data centres
01:05:15 – 01:16:20 : The Blitz
Special Guest: Zac Williamson.
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This episode of the #citizenweb3 podcast features David Pinger from Warden Protocol
David Pinger envisions a future where AI and blockchain merge to enable trust-minimized, autonomous systems. Known for saying “blockchain isn’t for humans,” he challenges conventional thinking with a bold, machine-first perspective.
Warden Protocol is a Layer-1 blockchain designed for secure, verifiable AI integration with smart contracts and autonomous agents. It enables AI-driven applications to operate across multiple chains in a trust-minimized way.
Timestamps
00:00 – 05:47 : Intro
05:47 -- 10:00 : Valuable lessons brought to Web3
10:00 -- 11:41 : Web3 vs Web2 founders
11:41 -- 13:40 : Developers vs community
13:40 -- 23:00 : Blockchain change
23:00 -- 27:20 : AI centralization
27:20 -- 33:25 : Hype
33:25 -- 38:33 : Optimism, Hope and technology
38:33 -- 48:00 : Tribalism and building community
48:00 -- 52:25 : To be a validator
52:25 -- 58:12 : The Blitz
Special Guest: David Pinger.
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This episode of the #citizenweb3 podcast features Mayur Relekar from Arcana network
Mayur Relekar, entered crypto for the hype but stayed for its ideals, now advocating for pragmatic, business-driven approaches to Web3. He emphasizes that not everything needs to be fully decentralized and sees the future in users engaging with apps, not chains.
Arcana Network is a Web3 infrastructure startup focused on simplifying blockchain use through its Chain Abstraction Protocol, allowing users to manage and spend assets across multiple chains without bridges or gas fees. Its tools—like Arcana Auth, Gasless SDK, and Wallet—aim to make Web3 as seamless as Web2.
Timestamps
00:00 – 07:20 : Intro
07:20 -- 14:50 : Idealistic future we hoped for
14:50 -- 18:04 : Pure Web3 stack
18:04 -- 26:31 : Helping people
26:31 -- 36:40 : Decentralization and centralization spectrum
36:40 -- 42:48 : Binaries
42:48 -- 49:40 : Memes, community building and feeding developers
49:40 -- 54:13 : Maintaining security and efficiency
54:13 – 59:28 : The Blitz
Special Guest: Mayur Relekar.
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This episode of the #citizenweb3 podcast features Barry Plunkett from Skip Protocol
Barry Plunkett, advocates for reclaiming digital ownership and identity from big tech through first-principles thinking and decentralized systems. He sees Cosmos as a platform offering infinite ways to solve problems, where technology, community, and values-aligned tokens converge to reshape the digital future.
Skip Protocol is a Cosmos-based infrastructure platform that helps blockchains and validators capture and distribute MEV through tools like sealed-bid auctions and block SDKs. Its mission is to democratize MEV while protecting users from harmful practices like frontrunning.
Timestamps
00:00 – 10:32 : Intro
10:32 -- 20:10 : Coming to realization
20:10 -- 27:30 : Deleting others
27:30 -- 38:31 : Decentralized world
38:31 -- 41:40 : Developers or a large community
41:40 -- 50:30 : Things from the Cosmos
50:30 -- 55:20 : Education and leading by example
55:20 – 01:07:06 : The Blitz
Special Guest: Barry Plunkett.
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This episode of the #citizenweb3 podcast features Eric Brakey from The FreeState Project
Eric Brakey, Executive Director of the Free State Project and former Maine State Senator, champions individual liberty, medical cannabis reform, and limited government. He believes New Hampshire is fertile ground for building a freer society based on the principle: “Don’t hurt people or take their stuff.”
The Free State Project is a movement to recruit 20,000 liberty-minded individuals to move to New Hampshire and create a stronghold for limited government and personal freedom. It aims to build a free society through peaceful activism, community-building, and principled resistance to state overreach.
Timestamps
00:00 – 03:47 : Intro
03:47 -- 10:00 : Moving from politics
10:00 -- 13:54 : New Hampshire
13:54 -- 22:57 : Building a libertarian community
22:57 -- 28:44 : Maintaining core principles
28:44 -- 39:50 : Moral convictions and bureaucracy
39:50 -- 46:00 : Does liberty need a state?
46:00 -- 51:25 : Liberty in a bubble
51:25 -- 57:38 : The Blitz
Special Guest: Eric Brakey.
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This episode of the #citizenweb3 podcast features Emmanuel Aldeguer from Axone
Emmanuel Aldeguer, champions decentralized AI as the ultimate revolution, emphasizing the shift from speculative ventures to meaningful, collaborative innovation. He envisions a Web3 "Cambrian explosion" where blockchain enables a new era of transparent knowledge sharing and coordination.
Axone is a decentralized Layer 1 protocol, designed to orchestrate collaborative AI workflows by connecting data, models, and infrastructure across a trust-minimized, blockchain-powered network. Built on the Cosmos SDK, it enables participants to share and monetize AI resources securely and transparently, fostering a more equitable and open AI ecosystem.
Timestamps
00:00 – 10:53 : Intro
10:53 -- 19:52 : Balancing life
19:52 -- 25:50 : Cambrian explosion of Web3
25:50 -- 29:04 : AI and decentralization
29:04 -- 34:40 : AXONE
34:40 -- 38:31 : Surveillance industry
38:31 -- 46:03 : The future
46:03 -- 50:37 : Tribalism
50:37 -- 01:00:01 : The Blitz
Special Guest: Emmanuel Aldeguer .
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This episode of the #citizenweb3 podcast features Sterlin Lujan from Logos
Sterlin Lujan entered the blockchain space through activism, viewing the state as a parasitic, illegitimate institution upheld by cultural propaganda and public schooling. Embracing cypherpunk values and high risk tolerance, he sees blockchain as a tool for productive resistance and the foundation for emerging alternatives like network states.
Logos is a fully decentralized, privacy-focused, and politically neutral technology stack designed to support self-sovereign virtual territories and network states. It integrates blockchain-based protocols—Nomos for consensus, Codex for storage, and Waku for messaging—to enable the creation of borderless, trust-minimized institutions governed by voluntary communities.
Timestamps
00:00 – 09:16 : Intro
09:16 -- 14:20 : The why
14:20 -- 31:50 : Why don't people act?
31:50 -- 40:00 : Has the movement done anything?
40:00 -- 47:53 : What’s happening right now?
47:53 -- 54:19 : Why will it succeed?
54:19 -- 58:00 : Advice to keep core values
58:00 – 01:04:34 : The Blitz
Special Guest: Sterlin Lujan.
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This episode of the #citizenweb3 podcast features Gabriel from Cartesi
Gabriel Coutinho de Paula, a researcher at Cartesi, envisions a decentralized future where ecosystems are free from centralized control and nurtured by collaborative effort. He emphasizes honest validation, coordination to prevent the tragedy of the commons, and the importance of innovation—while reminding us not to take things too seriously.
Cartesi is a decentralized Layer 2 infrastructure that enables scalable, verifiable computation using standard software tools like Linux. By bridging traditional programming with blockchain, Cartesi empowers developers to build more complex, real-world dApps while preserving decentralization and trust.
Timestamps
00:00 – 06:36 : Intro
06:36 -- 10:30 : Personal vs professional challenge
10:30 -- 14:28 : Biting our own tail
14:28 -- 21:20 : Foundations
21:20 -- 26:46 : Researching in Web2 and Web3
26:46 -- 35:19 : Cartesi
35:19 -- 41:18 : Security, Decentralization and Scalability
41:18 -- 57:30 : An honest validator
57:30 – 01:05:07 : The Blitz
Special Guest: Gabriel Coutinho de Paula.
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This episode of the #citizenweb3 podcast features Tom Trowbridge from Fluence
Tom Trowbridge, champions decentralized technology as essential to preserving freedom in an increasingly centralized internet. He warns against the control of big tech and governments, urging the development of alternatives like Web3 to protect individual autonomy and resist centralized power.
Fluence Labs is building a decentralized computing protocol that enables peer-to-peer applications to run without centralized servers. By empowering developers to deploy apps on a permissionless network, Fluence aims to create a censorship-resistant, resilient infrastructure for the Web3 ecosystem.
Timestamps
00:00 – 10:41 : Intro
10:41 -- 17:04 : Changing lives
17:04 -- 21:41 : The industry and surveillance
21:41 -- 26:05 : ELI5 what is dePIN
26:05 -- 31:40 : Decentralized infrastructure for networks
31:40 -- 41:50 : Revenue and memes
41:50 -- 45:35 : Closeness to fully decentralizing computing platforms
45:35 -- 53:35 : Uniting developers across blockchain
53:35 – 59:24 : The Blitz
Special Guest: Tom Trowbridge.
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This episode of the #citizenweb3 podcast features Pavel from Zano Ravaga
Pavel Ravaga embraces the cypherpunk ethos, advocating for privacy blockchains while critiquing government oversight, meme coin speculation, and the permanence of transaction histories. He sees crypto’s potential for financial freedom but acknowledges that mainstream users prioritize convenience over privacy.
Zano is a privacy-focused blockchain designed for secure, untraceable transactions and decentralized applications. It combines cryptographic techniques with a flexible architecture to enhance financial privacy while ensuring scalability and usability.
Timestamps
00:00 – 03:00 : Intro
03:00 -- 08:40 : Staying off the radar
08:40 -- 13:01 : Arriving in web3
13:01 -- 18:00 : Memes
18:00 -- 20:06 : Battling tribalism
20:06 -- 23:07 : Coin versus token
23:07 -- 28:29 : Privacy and libertarianism
28:29 -- 34:21 : Fears role
34:21 -- 40:00 : Advice on building a crypto project
40:00 -- 48:28 : Distribution
48:28 -- 51:01 : Building a community
51:01 -- 57:47 : Blitz
Special Guest: Pavel Ravaga.
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This episode of the #citizenweb3 podcast features Aliaksandr Hudzilin an Angel Investor
Aliaksandr "Sasha" Hudzilin, co-founder of Human Guild, is a blockchain and Web3 innovator focused on rebuilding the internet and navigating the fast-moving AI and crypto landscapes. He values cultural understanding, risk-taking, and personal balance through activities like hiking and reading.
Human Guild, co-founded by Aliaksandr "Sasha" Hudzilin, supports creators and developers in building sustainable Web3 projects on NEAR Protocol. NEAR is a scalable, developer-friendly blockchain designed to enable decentralized applications with low fees and high performance.
Timestamps
00:00 – 03:20 : Intro
03:20 -- 06:50 : Making and keeping connections
06:50 -- 10:10 : Yin and yang
10:10 -- 24:50 : Opinions on blockchain apart from financial
24:50 -- 28:37 : Being airheaded
28:37 -- 31:10 : Fear
31:10 -- 45:30 : Advice for founders
45:30 -- 48:26 : Examples of Web3 investing
48:26 -- 54:50 : Removing that stigma
54:50 – 01:0:23 : The Blitz
Special Guest: Aliaksandr 'Sasha' Hudzilin.
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This episode of the #citizenweb3 podcast features Mohammed Patla from Secure Secrets
Mohammed Patla is a strong advocate for Web3, data sovereignty, and financial sustainability, emphasizing user choice, education, and learning from failures. He believes in balancing data sharing for benefits, challenges government transparency, and envisions a future where decentralization empowers individuals despite regulatory resistance.
Since 2019, Secure Secrets has helped build Secret Network’s infrastructure as a validator and developer. Committed to privacy, they see Secret Network as key to enabling programmable privacy in Web3.
Timestamps
00:00 – 07:00 : Intro
07:00 -- 15:30 : Privacy
15:30 -- 20:20 : Overcoming fear
20:20 -- 28:55 : Personal goal
28:55 -- 35:06 : Biggest challenge
35:06 -- 47:35 : Projects need to eat
47:35 -- 55:00 : Self hosting
55:00 – 59:34 : The Blitz
Special Guest: Mohammed Patla.
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This episode of the #citizenweb3 podcast features Nixo from Ethereum Foundation
Nixo shared candid insights on trust in centralized exchanges, the small yet influential nature of Crypto Twitter, and the importance of following genuine interests over money. He also highlighted challenges in finding competent legal experts and how people are naturally inclined to pick sides in the crypto space.
The Ethereum Foundation (EF) is a nonprofit dedicated to supporting Ethereum’s development, research, and ecosystem growth. While it doesn’t control Ethereum, it funds key upgrades, research, and community initiatives to ensure the network remains open, decentralized, and innovative.
Timestamps
00:00 – 11:30 : Intro
11:30 -- 18:10 : Dream journey
18:10 -- 24:00 : Sirens are calling and the loss of physical cash
24:00 -- 29:20 : Changing lives
29:20 -- 36:10 : Overwhelmed and values
36:10 -- 41:50 : Tribalism and memes
41:50 – 55:40 : Data centres
55:40 – 01:00:01 : The Blitz
Special Guest: Nixo.
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This episode of the #citizenweb3 podcast features Thomas from High Stakes
Thomas reflected on the crypto space, from vanishing millions and GPU shortages to the importance of strategic positioning through foundations. For him, success comes down to a broad assessment—analyzing white papers, infrastructure quality, and costs—while only engaging in truly interesting projects, all with a bit of a Batman mindset.
High Stakes provides reliable, secure validator services for multiple blockchains, backed by strong Swiss-based infrastructure. Committed to decentralization, they actively engage in governance, develop community tools, and support other validator teams in the open-source spirit.
Timestamps
00:00 – 05:20 : Intro
05:20 -- 10:41 : The switch
10:41 -- 13:02 : Deciding to go that way
13:02 -- 22:01 : What not to do and chain selection
22:01 -- 29:20 : Validators contributing to adoption
29:20 -- 36:08 : Cosmos and goals
36:08 -- 51:00 : Setup
51:00 – 55:37 : The Blitz
Special Guest: Thomas Lafaille.
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This episode of the #citizenweb3 podcast features Sandy Carter from Unstoppable Domains
Sandy Carter is a tech visionary who champions continuous learning, innovation without a "playbook," and the power of mindset in driving success. She advocates for blockchain, AI, and digital ownership while emphasizing customer obsession, creative “playstorming,” and the balance of purpose and profit in technology.
Unstoppable Domains aims to give everyone a user-owned digital identity through Web3 domains that empower individuals to control their data. These domains go beyond traditional use, offering unique capabilities in the decentralized web.
Timestamps
00:00 – 04:12 : Intro
04:12 -- 08:00 : Internal driver
08:00 -- 15:18 : A day and missing the Web2 world
15:18 -- 23:50 : Adoption within our generation
23:50 -- 31:30 : Web3 and mass adoption
31:30 -- 37:00 : AI and power
37:00 -- 40:00 : Surveillances on chain
40:00 -- 46:01 : Devil’s Advocate question
46:01 -- 50:25 : How to decide
50:25 -- 53:30 : Working with community
53:30 – 01:00:21 : The Blitz
Special Guest: Sandy Carter.
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This episode of the #citizenweb3 podcast features Dymion from ValidatorVN
Dymion describes the leap from crypto trading to validation as a challenging, sleepless journey of self-hosting, community-building, and exploration beyond the Cosmos ecosystem. Amid the struggles, they find solace in Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 1, embracing the beauty in perseverance.
ValidatorVN is a dedicated blockchain validator focused on secure, self-hosted infrastructure and organic community growth. Committed to exploring beyond the Cosmos ecosystem, they navigate the challenges of validation with resilience, technical expertise, and a passion for decentralization.
Timestamps
00:00 – 07:00 : Intro
07:00 -- 13:05 : Overcoming fear of validation
13:05 -- 17:03 : First, Community or Validator
17:03 -- 19:30 : Goal
19:30 -- 27:35 : Investing into test nets
27:35 -- 29:18 : Slash protected
29:18 -- 30:50 : Self-hosting
30:50 -- 37:15 : Workarounds
37:15 -- 38:26 : Concentrating on just one or not
38:26 -- 41:15 : Selecting a chain
41:15 -- 46:25 : Public or private
46:25 -- 48:42 : The past three years
48:42 – 52:19 : The Blitz
Special Guest: Dymion.
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This episode of the #citizenweb3 podcast features Seth for Privacy.
Seth emphasizes that financial and personal privacy are essential for human freedom, highlighting how modern systems and governmental overreach erode individual autonomy. He advocates for reclaiming power through critical thinking, community collaboration, and pushing back against prevailing narratives.
Seth's blog provides a space for in-depth analysis and thought on the intersection of technology and privacy. He is dedicated to exploring how these advancements empower individuals to reclaim control of their digital lives and data.
Timestamps
00:00 – 06:24 : Intro
06:24 -- 11:20 : What is freedom?
11:20 -- 17:40 : Taxes
17:40 -- 25:24 : Jumping to conclusions
25:24 -- 35:11 : Memes and tribalism
35:11 -- 41:00 : Optimism
41:00 -- 45:50 : Education and semantics
45:50 -- 52:30 : KYC ‘Know your customer’
52:30 – 01:00:41 : The Blitz
Special Guest: Seth.
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