In this episode of the Crypto Beat, Tim Copeland and Kelvin Sparks are joined by Mason Nystrom, Junior Partner at Pantera, to discuss how stablecoins could be the tech that transforms fintech fails to be more internet blockchain native, what the Hyperliquid USDH bidding war signals for capturing payment flow, and the tokenization of real-world assets including collectibles like Pokemon cards. OUTLINE 00:00 - Introduction 01:44 - Mason’s origin in crypto 03:35 - Research vs. VC investing 04:46 - The $1T stablecoin thesis 06:31 - Tempo: Stripe/Paradigm’s payments L1 08:55 - Retail upside & neutrality questions 14:18 - Why Stripe self-disrupts 20:12 - Hyperliquid’s USDH bidding war 23:43 - RWAs: tokenized collectibles 28:48 - Launchpads & DeFi platformization 33:08 - SocFi: Pump.fun vs. FriendTech 43:59 - Prediction markets & regulation The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Mason Nystrom - https://x.com/masonnystrom Pantera - https://x.com/PanteraCapital Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

In this episode of the Crypto Beat, Tim Copeland and Kelvin Sparks are joined by Tonstrat Executive Chairman Manuel Stotz to discuss why Telegram’s scale gives TON a unique edge. The chat hits mini-apps UX, stablecoins/remittances and gaming, U.S. access, and how to manage 80% drawdowns. OUTLINE 00:00 - Introduction 01:25 - Background 05:24 - Kingsway to Crypto focus 07:31 - Portfolio mix 12:08 - Telegram edge & TON thesis 18:15 - Super-app in the West 20:10 - Regulatory past & decentralization 27:10 - Mini apps vs dApps UX 29:15 - Stablecoins/payments/games 43:55 - Ton Strategy treasury model 49:41 - Risk management & staking yield 59:45 - Premiums, cycles & outlook The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Manuel Stotz - https://x.com/manuelstotz Ton Strategy Co - https://x.com/tonstrat Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

In this episode of the Crypto Beat, Tim Copeland and Kelvin Sparks are joined by Flight3 founders Joylon and Harry Horsfall to discuss London's crypto scene, Zebu Live and the recent crypto market downturn. Harry and Joylon explained what goes into making a conference successful, London’s evolving crypto scene, and what to expect from this year’s Zebu Live conference. OUTLINE 00:00 - Introduction 00:50 - Market Crash Reactions & Risk Lessons 02:50 - DeFi Stress Test: Protocols Held Up 04:16 - IQ Quiz, Humility, FOMO & Recovery Outlook 08:26 - What Actually Happened During The Crash 11:21 - Monad Airdrop and the Airdrop Playbook 14:35 - London Crypto Scene's Revival 16:09 - UK’s Regulatory Status 20:03 - Proposed UK Stablecoin Cap 22:52 - The Future of UK Crypto 25:10 - Zebu Live 2025: Program & Why Attend 27:05 - Curation, Conference Vibes 32:49 - Standout Moments & Conclusion The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Harry Harsfall - ⁠https://x.com/HarryHorsfall_ Joylon Horsfall - https://x.com/0x_styx Zebu Live - ⁠https://x.com/Zebu_live Flight3 - https://x.com/Flight3official Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

In this episode of the Crypto Beat, Kelvin Sparks chats with Alex Gluchowski, co-founder and CEO of Matter Labs to discuss the Atlas upgrade, which promises to revolutionize performance and privacy. They explore zero-knowledge proofs and their role in scaling Ethereum. They also discuss the cypherpunk ethos, technological challenges, and Matter Labs' vision for the future. OUTLINE 00:00 – Introduction 00:31 – Privacy: The New Meta 02:45 – Cypherpunk Roots 04:29 – User Experience of Scaled Privacy 07:24 – Trust Assumptions in Privacy 09:25 – Incorruptible Financial Systems 14:15 – Innovation in Cryptography 19:13 – Rewarding Experiences at Matter Labs 22:01 – Navigating Challenges 24:17 – Introducing the Atlas Upgrade 30:53 – Benefits of Instant Settlement The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Alex Gluchowski - https://x.com/gluk64 Matter Labs - https://x.com/the_matter_labs ZKsync - https://x.com/zksync Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Crypto Beat's Co-Host Kelvin Sparks, was joined by GOAT Network Co-Founder and CEO Kevin Liu in Seoul, South Korea on the sidelines of Korea Blockchain Week in this episode sponsored by GOAT Network. Kevin explains how his team is scaling Bitcoin through a ZK rollup Layer 2 that maintains Bitcoin’s core security while unlocking new use cases. OUTLINE 00:00 - Introduction 00:36 - Bitcoin ideology and early influences 01:27 - Goat Network’s vision for Bitcoin Layer 2 02:29 - Unlocking Bitcoin’s potential through scalability 03:40 - Evolution from BitVM to GoatBitVM 06:37 - Preserving Bitcoin security in Layer 2 design 09:40 - Trade-offs in building ZK rollups for Bitcoin 11:00 - Lessons learned from Ethereum rollups 13:16 - Yield generation on Bitcoin with Goat Network 16:55 - Balancing sustainability and slashing risk 18:57 - Running a node and sequencer competition 20:09 - Differentiating yield strategies from corporates 22:46 - Opcodes and technical trade-offs 24:02 - Building the Goat Network community 28:31 - Token launch and future of Bitcoin Layer 2 The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Kevin Liu - https://x.com/kevinliub GOAT Network - https://x.com/GOATRollup Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland was joined by Jito Co-Founder & CEO Lucas Bruder and Jito Foundation Chief Commercial Officer Thomas Uhm. In this episode, Tim, Thomas and Lucas discuss the evolving U.S. regulatory stance on crypto, including the SEC’s Project Crypto and rulings on liquid staking, and how innovations like BAM and JitoSOL could unlock institutional adoption, tighter markets, and broader yield opportunities. OUTLINE 00:00 – Introduction 01:18 – What is Liquid Staking? 04:00 – SEC's Stance on Liquid Staking 07:23 – Impact on Solana and Ecosystems 12:05 – Institutional Adoption 16:21 – ETFs and Liquid Staking 18:37 – Layer One Announcements 24:11 – Introducing BAM 27:52 – Solana Ecosystem Sentiment 30:21 – Solana vs. Ethereum 33:53 – Future of Blockchains 39:15 – Future Priorities for Jito The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Thomas Uhm - https://x.com/ThomasUhm Lucas Bruder - https://x.com/buffalu__ Jito - https://x.com/jito_sol Jito Foundation - https://x.com/JitoFDN Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, and co-host Kelvin Sparks were joined by CoinFund’s Kavan Canekeratne. In this episode, Tim, Kelvin and Kavan discuss the evolving U.S. regulatory stance on crypto, including the SEC’s Project Crypto and rulings on liquid staking. He explains the rise of perpetuals, tokenized assets, stablecoins, and the competitive dynamics of exchanges, while highlighting risks around leverage, meme coins, and treasury companies. The discussion closes with Ethereum vs. Solana, Bitcoin DeFi, and the growing overlap between crypto and gambling. OUTLINE 00:00 - Introduction 00:42 - Crypto in 401Ks and U.S. regulatory shifts 03:42 - Roman Storm trial  04:47 - Explosion of perpetuals trading 06:18 - Exchange competition 07:38 - Tokenized stocks and global adoption 11:12 - Risks of leverage and stablecoin clarity 16:30 - Tokenized RWAs  17:32 - Ethereum’s resurgence vs. Solana’s momentum 22:37 - Rollups, UX improvements, and scaling Ethereum 24:48 - Meme coins, NFTs, and evolving adoption cycles 30:32 - Bitcoin DeFi & treasury companies 40:08 - Closing remarks The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Kavan Canekeratne - ⁠https://x.com/kavancane Coinfund -⁠ https://x.com/coinfund_io Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, and co-host Kelvin Sparks was joined by Securitize President Michael Sonnenshein. In this episode, Sonnenshein explores the evolving market for tokenized securities, and explains the advantages of bringing traditional assets like equities, treasuries, and private credit onto public blockchains in a fully regulated, investor-protective way. OUTLINE 00:00 – Introduction 00:37 – Promotion to President 01:28 – White House Digital Asset Report 03:44 – Regulatory Interest in Security Tokens 05:40 – Vision for Tokenized Equities 09:07 – Demand for Tokenized Treasuries 10:38 – Path to One Trillion in Tokenized Securities 12:38 – Robinhood and Tokenized Equities 15:24 – Benefits of Tokenized Equities 19:43 – Hamilton Lane Integration with Elixir 22:05 – Grayscale Bitcoin ETF Reflections 23:30 – SEC and In-kind Redemption 26:08 – Future of ETFs 26:17 – Systemic Risk of Bitcoin Treasury Companies 28:26 – Conclusion The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Michael Sonnenshein - https://x.com/Sonnenshein Securitize -⁠ https://x.com/Securitize Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Federico Brokate, head of U.S. Business at 21Shares. In this episode, Tim and Federico discuss the remarkable success of Bitcoin ETFs. Brokate delves into institutional adoption trends, future crypto ETF developments, and potential shifts in market dynamics. The conversation also touches on burgeoning institutional interest in new crypto assets. OUTLINE 00:00 – Introduction 00:25 – Bitcoin ETFs' Success 04:43 – Hedge Funds and Basis Trade 06:11 – Options on ETFs 09:35 – From BlackRock to 21Shares 11:49 – International vs US Demand 14:49 – Selecting Assets 18:18 – Next Major Developments in Crypto ETFS 22:24 – Tokenized Equities 23:45 – Composable ETFs and DeFi 24:57 – Regulatory Environment Shifts 26:43 – Bitcoin Treasury Concerns 29:05 – Systemic Risk in Crypto Markets 29:53 – Conclusion The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Federico - ⁠⁠https://x.com/Fede_Brokate 21Shares - https://x.com/21Shares Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Veda co-founder and CEO Sun Raghupathi. Tim and Sun discussed how DeFi vaults are simplifying complex finance systems and looking to drive mainstream and institutional adoption. Sun explained on Veda's Vault architecture, the importance of security, and the evolving competitive landscape in the DeFi space. OUTLINE 00:00 – Introduction 00:25 – What is Veda? 03:31 – Potential Contagion Risks 04:30 – GMX Hack 05:39 – DeFi Hacks  08:16 – Challenges of Building Vaults 09:48 – DeFi's Evolution 15:23 – Institutional Involvement 16:58 – Vault Uses in TradFi 17:47 – Tokenized Stocks 20:44 – Vaults vs. Staking 22:48 – Types of Vault Strategies 24:39 – AI in Vault Management 25:47 – Veda’s Future Plans 26:37 – Conclusion The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Sun - ⁠https://x.com/sunandr_ Veda - ⁠⁠https://x.com/veda_labs Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by OpenLedger Core Contributor Ram Kumar in this episodes sponsored by OpenLedger. Tim and Ram discussed the emerging intersection of decentralized AI and blockchain technology. Ram explains how OpenLedger is building infrastructure to let users contribute proprietary data to train AI models, with on-chain attribution and rewards for data contributors. The conversation covers OpenLedger’s upcoming mainnet launch, tokenomics, and the broader promise of creating a transparent, community-driven AI economy. OUTLINE 00:00 – Introduction 01:02 – What is Openledger? 02:27 – Data Contribution Model 08:47 – Access to Agents 15:16 – Ensuring Quality Data 19:09 – Incentive Structures 23:18 – The Role of Tokens 24:56 – The Convergence of AI and Crypto 27:53 – Competing with Centralized Systems 30:23 – Openledger's Future and Success 33:32 – Data Economy Insights 36:17 – Conclusion The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Ram -⁠ https://x.com/Ramkumartweet⁠ OpenLedger - ⁠https://x.com/OpenledgerHQ⁠ Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Co-Host Kelvin Sparks and memecoin aficionado Murad. In this episode, Murad argues that the future of crypto lies in belief-driven, community-powered assets rather than short-term speculation or utility tokens. He explains why meme coins like SPX6900 are not just speculative plays but cultural and spiritual movements that offer their holders meaning, identity, and potential financial upside. OUTLINE 00:00 – Introduction 00:47 – Memecoin Landscape 04:58 – Rise of Bonk.Fun 07:10 – The next six months 09:15 – SPX6900 as a Schelling Point 18:33 – Responsibilities with Memecoins 23:45 – Flipping the Stock Market  29:23 – Memecoin mullet 34:13 – Memecoin strategy 38:55 – Bitcoin Treasury Trade 45:47 – Crypto's Future 48:17 – Murad's Motivation in Crypto 52:56 – Creating or Moving Value 54:56 – Conclusion The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Murad - https://x.com/MustStopMurad Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Wormhole Co-Founder Robinson Burkey. In this episode, Copeland and Burkey discuss the growing adoption of multi-chain frameworks and increasing institutional interest in blockchain technology. The conversation also touches on tokenized assets and the growing emphasis on revenue in the crypto space. OUTLINE 00:00 – Introduction 01:22 – Wormhole’s growth 04:07 – Which chains are seeing growth 06:47 – RWAs 08:57 – Tokenized Credit 11:47 – Wormhole's Role in RWA 14:14 – Institutional adoption 17:45 – Institution’s opening up to crypto 20:23 – Future Crypto Expansion 23:05 – IPOs and On-Chain Opportunities 25:54 – Wormhole’s Governance Model 32:06 – Effects of Shifting US regulations  36:00 – Potential For Revenue Sharing 37:51 – Conclusion The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Robinson Burkey -⁠ https://x.com/RobinsonBurkey Wormhole Foundation - https://x.com/wormholefdn Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Silhouette Founder Chandler De Kock. In this episode, Copeland and De Kock discuss Silhouette and dark pools, the integration of privacy features into DeFi, and the implications for market transparency. The conversation also touches on the role of market makers and recent industry trends on token launches. OUTLINE 00:00 – Introduction 00:36 – Dark Pools Explained 03:34 – Ensuring Private Transactions 07:39 – Maintaining Standards 12:57 – Hyperliquid. 15:44 – James Wynn and Public Positions 19:48 – Challenges and Opportunities 21:38 – Market Maker Engagement 23:33 – Next Steps to Launch 28:55 – Conclusion The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Chandler De Kock -⁠ https://x.com/chandlerdkk Silhouette - https://x.com/silhouette_exhttps://x.com/silhouette_ex Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Alluvial CEO Mara Schmiedt. In this episode of The Crypto Beat, Copeland and Schmiedt discuss Alluvial's role in shaping institutional Ethereum staking. Schmiedt also discusses a new partnership between Liquid Collective and Galaxy, and shares insights on market trends, compliance, and the future of crypto regulations. OUTLINE 00:00 – Introduction 00:34 – Alluvial's Mission 02:29 – Compliance and KYC 05:12 – ETH Withdrawals 06:05 – Partnership with Galaxy 08:02 – Institutional Staking Demand 10:06 – Adding ETH to balance sheets 12:38 – Convergence of Crypto and TradFi 14:24 – Institutional Adoption and Compliance 15:27 – SEC Staking Guidance 18:33 – Growth of Liquid Staking Tokens 20:06 – US Staking Lawsuits 21:21 – ETFs and Staking 25:50 – Future of Staking 26:57 – Conclusion The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Mara Schmiedt - https://x.com/MaraSchmiedt Alluvial - ⁠https://x.com/alluvialfinance Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Upexi CEO Allan Marshall and CEO Brian Rudick. In this episode, Marshall and Rudick explain why their company is going all-in on Solana as the core of a digital asset treasury strategy. They discuss the upside potential of Solana, staking yields, and how disciplined leverage and capital markets dynamics could mirror or improve on MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin playbook. OUTLINE 00:00 - Intro 00:55 - Why Upexi chose Solana over Bitcoin 02:45 - Staking Solana and revenue benefits 04:41 - Regulatory clarity and the bull case 07:23 - Wen Solana ETF 10:39 - Explaining the premium 15:12 - Risk management  19:18 - Locked SOL supply and market impact 21:39 - GameStop & SharpLink 23:53 - Concerns about treasury strategies 26:32 - Navigating downturns in crypto 31:45 - Looking ahead 33:24 - Conclusion The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Allan Marhsall -⁠ ⁠⁠https://x.com/marshall_a22015 Brian Rudick - https://x.com/thetinyant Upexi - https://www.upexi.com/ Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Across Protocol Co-Founder Hart Lambur. In this episode, Copeland and Lambur discuss how Across Protocol is looking to revolutionize cross-chain interoperability by using an intent-based system that enables near-instant, secure asset transfers between blockchains. They also touched on Lambur's history as a bond trader at Goldman Sachs, chain abstraction, and crypto treasury companies. OUTLINE 00:00 – Intro 
 00:33 – What is Across Protocol?
 03:42 – How Intent-Based Bridging Works
 05:05 – Solver Mechanics Explained
 06:34 – Fee Structure & Value Prop
 09:07 – Lambur’s history with Goldman Sachs
 11:13 – Across and Intents
 14:57 – The Future of Seamless UX
 19:06 – Onboarding new users
 22:14 – Other Projects Lambur Likes
 26:55 – Market Outlook & Bitcoin Macro
 28:15 – MicroStrategy Copycats Risk?
 31:18 – Closing Remarks The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Hart Lambur - ⁠⁠https://x.com/hal2001 Across Protocol - ⁠https://x.com/AcrossProtocol⁠ Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Thrive Founder Daniel Jacobs. In this episode, Jacobs shares how Thrive uses a mix of expert and AI agent reviewers to validate contributions, making grant funding faster, fairer, and ensure they are supporting the creation of value. Jacobs also critiques the value-extraction mindset in crypto and advocates for a shift toward long-term value creation and ecosystem sustainability. OUTLINE 00:00 – Introduction 01:03 – The Origin of Thrive 04:23 – Reviewer Incentives  05:35 – AI Agent Adoption 08:52 – Confirming AI Accuracy 12:36 – Comparisons to Kaito 13:58 – Growth Metrics 16:26 – Challenges in Crypto Grant Funding 20:50 – Extracting vs. Creating Value 25:07 – Are VCs good for the space? 28:37 – Moving into “Fundamental Season” 30:07 – Interesting projects 31:17 – Daniel’s Predictions for 2025 31:42 – Closing Thoughts The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Daniel Jacobs - ⁠https://x.com/thrivegiraffe Thrive Protocol - https://x.com/thriveprotocol Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Head of Growth, Tim Copeland, was joined by Metamask Co-Founder Dan Finlay. In this episode, Copeland and Finlay discuss the evolution of the crypto industry, the intersection of blockchain and AI, and MetaMask's goal to build a wallet for a much broader audience outside of crypto natives. OUTLINE 00:00 - Introduction 00:42 - Crypto’s evolution 02:57 - MetaMask's strategy 04:39 - Mainstream Use Cases  07:20 - MetaMask’s Grants Program 10:57 - Challenges in Building MetaMask 15:17 - Improving Multi-Chain UX 17:16 - The Pectra Upgrade 23:06 - MetaMask’s revenue streams 25:33 - From Memes to Fundamentals 27:58 - Experimenting with AI  32:19 - The Solana Meme Coin 37:04 - Native Support for Solana  40:09 - The Changing U.S. Regulatory Landscape 41:20 - The Elusive MetaMask Token 42:17 - Hopes for the Future 43:01 - Conclusion The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠⁠ Guest links: Dan Finlay - https://x.com/danfinlay MetaMask - ⁠⁠https://x.com/MetaMask Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠⁠theblock.co/campus

The Block's Editor-in-Chief, Tim Copeland, was joined by Backed Finance Co-Founder Adam Levi. In this episode, Copeland and Levi discuss the rise and future of tokenized equities, and how it could prove to be bigger than stablecoins. OUTLINE 00:00 - Introduction 00:46 - Observations From Token2049 02:14 - Adam’s Experience in the Space 03:51 - Understanding the Business Model 08:28 - Another Crypto Collapse? 11:56 - Why Tokenized Equities Are Gaining Steam 15:58 - Regulatory Concerns and Global Access 18:46 - Adoption Barriers 20:10 - Unlocking DeFi With Real-World Assets 23:06 - Yield-Bearing Stablecoins  25:21 - Coming Next in Tokenized Equities 26:01 - Conclusion The Block Newsletters The Block's newsletters bring you the latest news and analysis of the fast-moving crypto and DeFi markets. To subscribe, visit ⁠⁠theblock.co/newsletters⁠⁠ Guest links: Adam Levi - https://x.com/leviadam1 Backed Finance - ⁠https://x.com/BackedFi Are you hiring in crypto? Use Campus to quickly find your best candidates with our challenging Crypto Assessment Test. Faster hiring, stronger teams. Sign up for a trial today: ⁠⁠theblock.co/campus