CryptoNews Podcast

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#378: Federico Brokate, VP at 21Shares, on The Future of Crypto ETFs, and The Convergence Between Crypto & TradFi Oct 14, 2024

Show notes

Federico Brokate, VP, is the Head of the U.S. Business at 21.co. In this capacity, he oversees the growth of the U.S. business, providing investors with the most access, convenience, and quality in the digital asset ETF industry. Previously, Federico led the iShares Business Strategy team at BlackRock, where he created and executed strategic initiatives driving organic asset and revenue growth. He also developed go-to-market strategies for new business verticals and managed priority product launches, including the successful launch of iShares’ Bitcoin ETF. Federico holds a Bachelor of Science in Business from NYU Stern School of Business, with dual concentrations in Finance and Global Business.
In this conversation, we discuss:
- The role firms like 21Shares play in bringing crypto into the mainstream in the U.S., and why accessible products and ETFs will help move the industry forward
- Where there is the greatest opportunity for industry development
- How a push into crypto ETFs from RIAs could bring in significant flows
- 21Shares’ expansion into the U.S. market with the launch of its Spot Bitcoin ETF (ARKB) and its Ethereum ETF (CETH)
- Letting retail invest in crypto via ETFs
- What exactly is an ETF
- How do decide which ETF to invest in
- Convergence of crypto and tradfi
- Arbitrage opportunities in ETFs, mainly by hedge funds and PE funds
- The security aspect of ETFs
- The future of crypto ETFs
- Implications of the upcoming US election
21.co
Website: www.21.co
X: @21co__
LinkedIn: 21.co
Federico Brokate
X: @Fede_Brokate
LinkedIn: Federico Brokate

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#377: Roham Gharegozlou, CEO of Dapper Labs, on FLOW Blockchain, The Future of NFTs, and The Importance of Digital IP Oct 10, 2024

Show notes

Roham Gharegozlou is the Founder and CEO of Dapper Labs, and a Board Member of the Flow Foundation. After founding Axiom Zen in 2012, he developed multiple award-winning products and companies, including Routific and Zenhub. During this time, his team introduced ERC-721 to mainstream audiences and coined the term "NFT" with CryptoKitties, one of the first blockchain games to gain widespread popularity. Under Roham's leadership, Dapper Labs developed NBA Top Shot, NFL ALLDAY, and Disney Pinnacle. He was also instrumental in developing Flow, a blockchain designed for mainstream adoption.
Flow is now the home for consumer Web3, attracting major brands like Disney, Mattel, and Ticketmaster/LiveNation, with over 45 million user accounts on the network. With the biggest ecosystem fund in Web3 for supporting developers and projects building on Flow, the network was the L1 of choice for hackers at the most recent ETHGlobal hackathon. Roham holds BA, BS, and MS degrees from Stanford University.
In this conversation, we discuss:
- The origin story of Crypto Kitties & NFTs
- Fungible vs non-fungible things in life
- CryptoKitties new game
- General Web3: Future of NFT market, blockchain-based IPs
- The Crescendo Upgrade: Flow achieving EVM equivalence
- What EVM equivalence means for Flow, and on a wider scale, for developers and users
- How Flow is building web3's next killer app, and Crescendo's role in mobilizing that process
- Making Cadence one of the best smart contract languages in the industry
- DeFi on FLOW
- Digital IP
- Crypto in Canada
Flow
Website: flow.com
X: @flow_blockchain
Telegram: t.me/flow_blockchain
Roham Gharegozlou
X: @roham
LinkedIn: Roham Gharegozlou

#376: Isha Varshney, Head of Ecosystem at Celo Foundation, on Transitioning From a L1 to L2, Bringing RWAs On-chain, and Onboarding the Next 1bn People to Crypto Oct 07, 2024

Show notes

Isha Varshney is the Head of Ecosystem at the Celo Foundation. Isha has expertise in decentralized finance, digital currency, and the intersection of technology and economic and social inequality. She also supports global pilots developing Web3 use cases and reimagining infrastructure in emerging markets to increase financial inclusion. Isha previously co-founded a fintech company. She has an MBA from Oxford’s Said Business School and is a qualified Chartered Accountant.
In this conversation, we discuss:
- Bloom, an advisory service for projects to help them navigate their Token Generating Event (TGE)
- Bringing Real-World Asset (RWA) on-chain
- How Celo is expanding its ecosystem across Africa
- MiniPay, a self-custodial stablecoin wallet
- Fintech apps in emerging markets
- Testnet going live and getting a shoutout from Vitalik
- Onboarding the next 100mm users to crypto
- Transitioning from a L1 to L2
- The importance of stable coins in emerging markets
- Flipping TRON in stablecoin volume
- Bringing FX markets on-chain
Celo
Website: celofoundation.org
X: @Celo
LinkedIn: Celo Foundation
Isha Varshney
X: @ivcelo
LinkedIn: Isha Varshney
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#375: Pascal Gauthier, CEO of Ledger, on Self-Custody, Security, Ledger Flex + Stax, and The Right to Economic Freedom Oct 03, 2024

Show notes

Pascal Gauthier is the Chairman & CEO of Ledger, a tech company that specializes in developing secure hardware for consumers and enterprise-grade custody solutions for institutions, enabling the storage and management of cryptocurrencies and NFTs.
He began his career at Kelkoo, later acquired by Yahoo, and was COO at Criteo, where he played a key role in the company's pivot to advertising and global expansion. Pascal Gauthier also worked as a Venture Partner at Mosaic Ventures, a London-based VC firm, and is non-executive chairman of Kaiko, a leading digital data analytics provider.
Since he became Chairman & CEO of Ledger in 2019, Pascal Gauthier has expanded the company's product line with Ledger Live, an intuitive digital asset management app, and a next-generation consumer device, Ledger Stax. He also started Ledger Enterprise, the company’s B2B product enabling companies to secure their digital assets at scale. Ledger Enterprise offers TRADELINK, a best-in-class open network to enable custodial trading via exchange and custodial partners. Pascal Gauthier is committed to driving ownership and security in the cryptocurrency industry.
In this conversation, we discuss:
- Self-custody, security, and the right to economic freedom
- Ledger's growth amidst their tenth anniversary and key learnings
- How they've performed since the launch of two products— Ledger Stax and Ledger Flex— earlier this year
- AI & blockchain's relationship— why proof-of-you is crucial
- The unique insight Ledger has as the only hardware solution with a consumer trading business via Ledger Live
- Their new HQ in Paris that's home to their revamped white hat hacker lab dubbed the "Donjon"
- Working with Tony Fadell, the creator of the iPod
- The importance of “cool” in hardware and IRL products
- The future of hardware wallets
- NYT full page ad for Ledger Stax + Flex
Ledger
Website: www.ledger.com
X: @Ledger
Discord: discord.gg/ledger
Pascal Gauthier
X: @_pgauthier
LinkedIn: Pascal Gauthier
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PrimeXBT offers a robust trading system for both beginners and professional traders that demand highly reliable market data and performance.

#374: Michael Kong, CEO of Sonic, on Rebranding from Fantom to Sonic, Upcoming Launch of Sonic Mainnet, and Cross Chain Communication Sep 30, 2024

Show notes

Michael Kong is an influential thought leader and developer concentrated on the expansion of blockchain technology and CEO and CIO of Sonic Labs (previously Fantom). Before Sonic, Kong served as CTO of myStake, Digital Currency Holdings, and Liberté & Co. He has been a part of the ETH community since 2013.
In this conversation, we discuss:
- Rebranding from Fantom to Sonic Labs
- Everyone launching a coin after November U.S election
- Sonic Boom: ~200M $S airdrop to spur adoption of the network
- $FTM to $S Token Merge - how to take advantage and get your tokens
- DeFi applications within the Sonic ecosystem
- Upcoming launch of Sonic Mainnet
- Stories from testnet and timeline for Mainnet (Dec 1)
- Sonic’s bridge to ETH
- Cross-chain communication + interoperability
- Outlook for the next few months before testnet
- Sonic’s insanely high TPS
Sonic Labs
Website: www.soniclabs.com
X: @0xSonicLabs
Telegram: t.me/Sonic_English
Michael Kong
X: @michaelfkong
LinkedIn: Michael Kong

#373: Pratik Gauri, CEO of 5ire, on Environmentally Responsible Blockchains, Enhancing Accessibility in DeFi, and Combining Profit & Purpose Sep 26, 2024

Show notes

Pratik Gauri is the founder & CEO of 5ire.org, one of the world’s fastest-growing unicorns that achieved the coveted billion-dollar valuation less than one year from the day it was founded. He conceptualized the term 5th industrial revolution as a founding principle for shaping a for-purpose world that combines sustainability, innovation, and business viability.
In this conversation, we discuss:
- How blockchain will transform the fintech landscape in the next decade
- Sustainability approach, how 5ire minimizes the carbon footprint
- Enhancing inclusivity and accessibility in DeFi
- Navigating regulation
- Role of AI and data
- Building trust and security
- Combining profit and purpose
- The 5th industrial revolution
- Sustainable proof of stake model
- ESG layer build into the blockchain
- RWAs and AI will move the next bull market
- Hiring talent in web3
5ire
Website: www.5ire.org
X: @5ireChain
Discord: discord.gg/5ire
Pratik Gauri
Website: www.pratikgauri.in
X: @pratikgauri
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PrimeXBT offers a robust trading system for both beginners and professional traders that demand highly reliable market data and performance.

#372: John Patrick Mullin, Co-founder of MANTRA, on Technological Innovation in RWAs, and The Convergence of Blockchain & TradFi Sep 23, 2024

Show notes

John Patrick Mullin is a Hong Kong-based entrepreneur and builder, focused on DeFi, blockchain technology, digital assets, and Web3. John has been investing/building in the crypto and digital assets space for over 10 years, having worked in decentralized finance and exchange/brokerage businesses.
John helped found MANTRA, a Layer 1 blockchain for RWA tokenization, and has raised tens of millions of dollars for various ventures while working with a dedicated team of 50+ builders worldwide.
In this conversation, we discuss:
- Reason for strong interest in RWAs & MANTRA
- Convergence of Blockchain & TradFi’s
- RWA’s hype or real show
- Institutional adoption of RWAs, where is retail lacking?
- Challenges of building regulated RWA blockchain
- Success with Mag Global (real-estate in Dubai) & Novus Aviation
- Technological innovation in the RWA space + future of RWAs
- Crypto needs the killer consumer facing app
- RWAs = opening financial access to the masses
- 3 phases of RWA = adoption, liquidity, discoverability
- The future of MANTRA
MANTRA
Website: www.mantrachain.io
X: @MANTRA_Chain
Telegram: t.me/MANTRA_Chain
John Patrick Mullin
X: @jp_mullin888
LinkedIn: John Patrick Mullin

#371: Edison Chen, CEO of CUDIS, on DePIN Wearables, Solana, and The Intersection of Wellness, AI, & Blockchain Sep 19, 2024

Show notes

Edison Chen is the Co-founder and CEO of CUDIS, a Web3 startup incentivizing healthy habits. A UCLA grad and serial entrepreneur, he has managed a $200 million fund in a top-tier VC with a background in consumer tech, fashion and blockchain.
In this conversation, we discuss:
- What are the benefits of web3 for wearables? (data, incentives)
- DePIN wellness and wearable products
- The intersection of wellness, AI, and blockchain technology
- Building on Solana
- Giving data back to the consumers
- Oura and comparisons to CUDIS
- Cudis events at Solana Breakpoint
- New 5mil raise from Draper Associates and Anthony Scaramucci
- How CUDIS promotes a healthier lifestyle
- Pre-orders and launch on Solana
- The future of CUDUS
CUDIS
Website: www.cudis.xyz
X: @CudisWellness
Discord: discord.gg/cudis
Edison Chen
X: @EDCBeatBit
LinkedIn: Edison Chen

#370: Hugo Philion, Co-Founder of Flare, on Mass Adoption, Rich & Decentralized Data, and Off-chain Compute Sep 16, 2024

Show notes

Hugo Philion, a globally recognized speaker and thought leader, is a Co-Founder of Flare and CEO of Flare Labs. Flare is the blockchain for data: an EVM smart contract platform specifically designed to support data-intensive use cases, including machine learning, real-world asset tokenization, gaming, and social.
In this conversation, we discuss:
- The problem of existing oracle systems
- How Flare achieves rich and decentralized data with its enshrined oracles
- Flare Time Series Oracle & Flare Data Connector’s overview and use cases
- Unique role of Flare’s infrastructure providers including Google Cloud
- Blockchains for use cases like AI
- TradFi = legal guarantees, crypto = software guarantees
- EVM Layers 1s
- How oracles power sports betting
- Sports betting arbitrage
- USA presidential debate
- Trusted Execution Environment (TEE)
- Limitations of current Dapps and how we get to mass adoption
- Web2-like experiences with Web3 guarantees
Flare
Website: flare.network
X: @FlareNetworks
Telegram: t.me/FlareNetwork
Hugo Philion
X: @HugoPhilion
LinkedIn: Hugo Philion

#369: Bill Laboon, Director of Education at Web3 Foundation, on The Polkadot Ecosystem, Web3 Education in LATAM, and The Importance of Regulatory Clarity Sep 12, 2024

Show notes

Bill Laboon is the Director of Education and Governance Initiatives at the Web3 Foundation, after spending the previous five years teaching Computer Science at the University of Pittsburgh. He is the author of two books: A Friendly Introduction to Software Testing, an undergraduate textbook; and Strength in Numbers, a near-future novel set in a world in which cryptocurrency has eliminated traditional money.
In this conversation, we discuss:
- Future growth and evolution of the Polkadot ecosystem
- Reaching 1000 referendums in the Polkadot ecosystem
- Dot Play and Kylix Finance
- The Decentralized Futures grant programme
- Zug is the crypto valley of the world
- Importance of regulatory oversight in crypto
- Upcoming US election
- Trump launching World Liberty Coin
- Web3 education in LATAM
- Polkadot isn’t one blockchain, it’s 51 different para-chains
- Friend.tech going under
- Crypto needs end-user consumer apps
Web3 Foundation
Website: web3.foundation
X: @Web3foundation
Bill Laboon
X: @BillLaboon
LinkedIn: Bill Laboon

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