Bitcoin.com News Interviews

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Harriet Browning, Twinstake — Institutional Staking & the Future of Crypto Adoption Jul 08, 2026

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What does institutional crypto adoption actually look like beyond the headlines?Harriet Browning, Global VP of Sales at Twinstake, joins Bitcoin.com's Alex Richardson at Proof of Talk 2026 in Paris to discuss how institutional staking is evolving and why infrastructure, not speculation, is becoming the focus of the next phase of crypto adoption.Drawing on her background in TradFi derivatives, Browning explains why staking should be viewed as core blockchain infrastructure, how non-custodial institutional staking works, and what large investors expect from validators today.Topics include:- Why institutional staking is gaining momentum- The shift from TradFi to DeFi- How non-custodial staking works- Validator performance and Solana staking- Regulatory momentum and institutional requirements- The role of the Proof of Stake Alliance- Why compliance, custody, reporting, and infrastructure matter more than everRecorded at Proof of Talk 2026 in Paris.🎧 Listen now and follow Bitcoin.com News on Spotify for more interviews with the founders, executives, and builders shaping the future of crypto and digital assets.

Stephan Lutz on Crypto Trading, Perpetual Futures, Exchange Security & TradFi Jul 07, 2026

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🎙️ How are crypto exchanges evolving after the FTX collapse, and what comes next for perpetual futures?In this episode, Bitcoin.com's Alex Richardson sits down with BitMEX ex-CEO Stephan Lutz at Proof of Talk 2026 to discuss the changing landscape of crypto trading, exchange security, and the convergence of traditional finance and digital assets.Lutz explains how BitMEX adapted to the post-FTX market, why security is a company-wide culture rather than a one-time feature, and how social engineering has become one of the industry's biggest threats.The conversation also explores BitMEX's FX perpetual swaps, the rise of institutional trading, the convergence of TradFi and crypto, the shift into a "post-yield" market, and why liquidity, low latency, capital efficiency, and professional trading tools are becoming increasingly important.If you're interested in crypto trading, exchange security, perpetual futures, and the growing convergence of TradFi and crypto, this interview is for you.🎧 Follow Bitcoin.com News on Spotify for more interviews with industry leaders, market analysis, and the latest developments shaping Bitcoin and crypto.

How Base Plans to Bring the Next Billion Users On-Chain | Xen Baynham-Herd Jul 01, 2026

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What will bring the next billion users on-chain?At Proof of Talk 2026 in Paris, Alex Richardson sits down with Xen Baynham-Herd, Head of Marketing at Base, to explore how stablecoins, AI agents, tokenization, and open blockchain infrastructure are reshaping crypto adoption.In this episode, we discuss:- Why Base believes stablecoins are crypto's biggest breakthrough- How AI agents could accelerate on-chain adoption- What Base MCP means for developers- Why tokenized markets are gaining momentum- Open blockchains vs. permissioned networks- How USDC expands global financial access- Why builder communities are essential to Web3 growth- What institutions are looking for in cryptoRecorded at Proof of Talk 2026 in Paris.🎧 Listen now and follow Bitcoin.com News on Spotify for more conversations with the founders, builders, and industry leaders shaping the future of crypto, stablecoins, AI, and on-chain finance.Chapters:00:00 The Future of Crypto Adoption03:09 Building a Blockchain Ecosystem06:07 Innovations in DeFi and AI Integration08:57 Market Dynamics and User Engagement12:03 Global Access and Tokenized Assets14:55 The Role of Open Chains in Institutional Adoption

Erik Voorhees on AI Freedom, Bitcoin & Why Crypto Principles Still Matter Jun 26, 2026

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Has AI replaced crypto as the most important technology story—or is it making crypto more important than ever?In this episode, Venice.AI founder Erik Voorhees joins Bitcoin.com's David Sencil to explore the intersection of artificial intelligence, Bitcoin, privacy, and permissionless technology.Voorhees explains why AI has captured the spotlight, why Bitcoin's core principles remain essential, and how private, open-source AI could shape the future of digital freedom. The conversation also covers censorship, free speech, Venice.AI's token model, and why decentralized AI training may become one of crypto's biggest long-term opportunities.Topics include:- Why AI has overshadowed crypto- Why Bitcoin's principles still matter- Open-source vs. closed AI- Private and uncensored AI- AI regulation and free speech- Venice.AI's token model- Crypto powering AI applications- Decentralized AI model training🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Follow the Bitcoin.com Podcast on Spotify for more conversations with the builders, founders, and policymakers shaping the future of Bitcoin, crypto, AI, and digital finance.Chapters:00:00 The Intersection of Bitcoin and AI09:32 The Role of Institutions in Bitcoin's Future13:47 AI: Accelerationism vs. Dystopia14:16 Ethics and Responsibility in AI Development22:34 Open Source AI Models: A Comparative Analysis25:45 Understanding AI Model Differences28:17 The Race for AI Intelligence: US vs China33:20 Venice: An AI Company with Crypto Elements36:56 Privacy and Trust in AI: Venice's Approach42:22 The Role of Tokens in Venice's Ecosystem51:15 Future of Crypto and AI: Decentralized Model Training

Ben Nadareski on Tokenized Yield, DeFi Principles & Institutional Crypto Adoption Jun 24, 2026

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🎙️ What if institutions adopt crypto not because they believe in decentralization, but because the technology simply works better?At Proof of Talk 2026 in Paris, Bitcoin.com's Alex Richardson sits down with Ben Nadareski, CEO and co-founder of Solstice, to explore how tokenized yield, stablecoins, and real-world assets are shaping the next generation of on-chain finance.Ben shares why institutions are increasingly viewing blockchain as financial infrastructure, how tokenized yield products are evolving, and why DeFi's core principles—permissionless access, transparency, low fees, and democratized finance—remain as relevant today as ever.Topics include:- Why institutions may adopt crypto as infrastructure rather than ideology- The rise of tokenized yield and yield-bearing assets- How stablecoins and RWAs accelerated institutional adoption- Solana's role in institutional DeFi- Token design, regulation, and market growth- Expanding access to advanced financial products through on-chain finance- Opportunities in emerging markets and global adoptionA thoughtful conversation on the future of DeFi, institutional crypto adoption, and how blockchain technology could transform global financial access.🎧 Listen now and follow Bitcoin.com News on Spotify for more conversations with founders, investors, and innovators building the future of finance, crypto, and decentralized technology.

Rob Hadick on Stablecoins, AI Agents & the Future of On-Chain Finance Jun 23, 2026

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🎙️ What happens when payments, capital markets, and AI all move onchain?At Proof of Talk 2026 in Paris, Bitcoin.com's Alex Richardson sits down with Rob Hadick, General Partner at Dragonfly, to explore the trends shaping the next era of crypto and financial infrastructure.Hadick shares Dragonfly's investment thesis on the future of finance, why stablecoins are already disrupting cross-border payments, and how companies like Rain are using blockchain rails to reinvent card issuance and global settlement.The conversation also dives into token value accrual, the long-term role of Layer 1 networks, the rise of AI agents and agentic commerce, and why prediction markets could become one of crypto's most important emerging sectors.Topics include:- Stablecoins and global payments- Rain and crypto card infrastructure- Tokenized capital markets- L1 value capture and network economics- Agentic commerce and AI agents- AI-powered onchain activity- Prediction markets- The maturation of the crypto industryA forward-looking discussion on where crypto, finance, and AI intersect and what it means for the next generation of onchain applications.🎧 Listen now and follow Bitcoin.com News on Spotify for more conversations with top investors, founders, and builders shaping the future of crypto, AI, stablecoins, and decentralized finance.Chapters:00:00 The Evolution of Token Trading03:08 Dragonfly Capital's Investment Philosophy06:09 The Impact of Stable Coins on Business09:11 Rain: A Game Changer in Payments11:52 The Future of Capital Markets and Stable Coins15:10 Value Capture in Tokens vs. Equities17:58 AI Agents and Their Role in Crypto20:47 The Future of Prediction Markets

Gencel, Solflare Co-Founder — The Stablecoin Take That Got Him Almost Booted Jun 19, 2026

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Vidor Gencel co-founded Solflare in 2020 — Solana's first self-custodial wallet. He's been in crypto since 2016 and has spent five years doubling, tripling, and quadrupling down on a single chain while competitors went multi-chain. So when he says stablecoins matter most outside the West and the obsession with replacing banks is misguided, it's a contrarian take worth hearing.David Sencil sits down with Vidor at Consensus 2026 for a tour through the Solflare consumer stack, what self-custody really means, the multi-chain trap, the $49 hardware wallet built on Visa/MasterCard chip platforms, the PAL Privacy Aggregator Layer, and Solflare Magic — the AI assistant that translates human intent into deterministic trades.We cover:- The London conference where Vidor was "almost left out of the room" for his stablecoin take- Why multi-chain forces "lowest common denominator" features- Solflare Shield: hardware wallet at consumer-card price points- PAL and encrypted state on Solana mainnet "within one quarter"- Solflare Magic: AI as deterministic translator, never traderFilmed at Consensus 2026.Host: David Sencil

Syed, Midnight President — $200M Spent, Zero VCs, and Why Anonymity Isn't Privacy Jun 17, 2026

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Fahmi Syed runs the Midnight Foundation, custodian of a fourth-generation privacy-first blockchain backed by Charles Hoskinson. Roughly $200 million spent. Zero VC funding. One of the biggest airdrops in crypto history.Jamie Redman sits down with Fahmi at Consensus 2026 for the full breakdown: programmable privacy, selective disclosure, the dual-token Night/Dust model, why Zcash and Monero keep getting delisted, why agentic AI desperately needs a proof layer, and what "Web 2.5" actually means.We cover:- The bank-account-number anecdote that defines rational privacy- Why transparent blockchains can't carry institutions across the bridge- Midnight's private-permissions model between Monero and JPMorgan- The dual-token Night/Dust design and predictable corporate costs- One of crypto's biggest airdrops — no VCs, no insider allocations- March 2026 mainnet and the 100+ builders in pre-prod- The 2008 TradFi trading floor that shaped his self-custody viewsFilmed at Consensus 2026.Host: Jamie Redman

Brown, BASE DevRel — $4T Stablecoins, X402, and the Agent Economy Jun 16, 2026

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Eric Brown leads Developer Relations at BASE, Coinbase's L2. So when he says the chain sees over $4 trillion in monthly stablecoin payments and 25+ local stablecoins now circulate worldwide, it's worth interrogating closely.Jamie Crypto sits down with Eric at Consensus 2026 for a full read on what's actually shipping on BASE in 2026 — X402 as the default agent-payment rail, sub-cent fees and 5,000 TPS bursts, the Azul upgrade, the AI red team / blue team security flip, and why seven-plus local stablecoins are getting real point-of-sale adoption in South America while the U.S. lags.We cover:- The $4T monthly stablecoin payments figure (Eric's claim)- X402 and ~2M agent transactions in 30 days on BASE- 400M gas per block, sub-tenth-of-a-cent fees, 5,000 TPS bursts- DeFi security after a brutal month of hacks — AI's role on both sides- Why the agentic cohort is "completely unbanked already"- Morpho, 4% USDC yields, and what makes an onchain app stickyFilmed at Consensus 2026.Host: Jamie Redman🎧 Stream the full episode now and follow Bitcoin.com News on Spotify to stay ahead of the biggest trends in crypto, stablecoins, AI, and Web3 infrastructure.

Spies, Consensus MD — How the Institutions Showed Up to Crypto's Biggest Tent Jun 12, 2026

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Brad Spies runs Consensus, the 11-year-old big-tent crypto conference operated by CoinDesk. On day three of Consensus Miami 2026 he sits down with David Sencil to walk through what's actually different this year: 15,000 attendees, JP Morgan, Fidelity, Schwab, DTCC and Swift on the sponsor list, and 1,200 "normie businesses" reached out to about stablecoin onboarding.He's also candid about the Gensler-era detour to Toronto, the 2022 Austin apex (Method Man, Red Man, Disclosure, Celsius the day after), and his own crypto origin story: he bought his first Bitcoin in 2013 and sold it almost immediately. "I kick myself to this day."We cover:- Why JP Morgan, Fidelity, and Swift all bought booths this year- The institutional pipeline built behind closed doors over four years- Stablecoin workshops, normie-business onboarding, and the hackathon stack- Where Consensus goes after Miami 2027 and New York- Why "most every bank account will come with a wallet address"Filmed at Consensus 2026 in Miami.Host: David Sencil🎧 Listen now and follow Bitcoin.com News on Spotify for more conversations with industry leaders, builders, investors, and innovators shaping the future of crypto.

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