Lightspeed

Latest Episodes:

Sui's Move: A New Blockchain Programming Paradigm | Sam Blackshear, Evan Cheng Dec 28, 2023

Show notes

Sam Blackshear and Evan Cheng join us to discuss how the Move programming paradigm will accelerate blockchain development. Sam and Evan are the founders of Sui, a global state L1 that leverages the novel Move programming language (created by Sam while at Facebook). This episode covers Sui's technical specs, the power of Move, Sui's validator requirements and scaling technique, state growth and storage, Sui's go-to-market and more!

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Join us at DAS (Digital Asset Summit) in London this March! DAS is the #1 institutional conference in crypto, hosted by Blockworks. Use the link below to learn more, and use LIGHTSPEED20 to get 20% off your ticket! Sign up now because the price goes up every month. See you there!

Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home

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(00:00) Introduction

(01:05) Sui’s Origin Story

(03:58) Move: A New Programming Paradigm

(14:32) Sui: A Technical Deep Dive

(27:36) DAS London Plug

(28:33) Validator Requirements

(31:31) Optimistic vs Pessimistic Parallel Execution

(33:28) State Growth and Storage

(39:16) Move’s Security Benefits

(44:55) Economic Security

(48:27) Atomic Composability, Scalability & Validator Sustainability

(58:01) Sui’s Beachhead: Gaming and Commerce

(59:40) Sui vs Aptos and Looking Ahead

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Follow Sam: https://twitter.com/b1ackd0g

Follow Evan: https://twitter.com/EvanWeb3

Follow Mert: https://twitter.com/0xMert_

Follow Garrett: https://twitter.com/GarrettHarper_

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Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

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Resources

Sui

https://twitter.com/SuiNetwork

https://sui.io/

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Disclaimers:

Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation.

Nothing said on Lightspeed is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mert, Garrett and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Cube: The Solana Aligned CEX | Bartosz Lipiński Dec 26, 2023

Show notes

Bartosz Lipiński joins us to discuss how Cube is building the first crypto-native centralized exchange. Cube leverages MPC wallets, Solana's client (creating a Solana appchain) and native integrations to offer the best trading experience in crypto. In this episode, we cover Bartosz's journey with Solana Labs, how he helped launch Solana's NFT ecosystem and Hacker House program, Cube's crypto-native functionality, what it takes to build a crypto company and more!

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Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home

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(00:00) Introduction

(00:54) Joining Solana Labs

(02:03) Solana NFTs and The Creation of Metaplex

(11:53) Starting Solana’s Hacker House

(15:46) DAS London Plug

(16:44) Solana’s Secret to Winning Over New Developers

(19:14) Cube: The Solana-Aligned CEX

(28:44) Go-to-Market Strategy

(40:49) Integrating New Blockchains

(44:39) What it Takes to Build a Company

(52:56) Rapid Fire

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Follow Bartosz: https://twitter.com/baalazamon

Follow Mert: https://twitter.com/0xMert_

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Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/43o3Syk

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Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

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Resources

Cube

https://twitter.com/cubexch

https://www.cube.exchange/

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Disclaimers:

Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation.

The MarginFi vs Solend Debate: Lessons From mSOL's Depeg Dec 21, 2023

Show notes

Rooter (co-founder of Solend) and Edgar (co-founder of MarginFi) join us to debate last week's mSOL depeg and how to implement risk management. Last week's mSOL depeg led to liquidations throughout Solana DeFi and a heated debate between the Solend and MarginFi teams. In this episode, we discuss what happened, where Solend and MarginFi disagree, the oracle debate, why liquidator profitability matters, points systems vs token launches and more!

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(00:00) Introduction

(01:18) The mSOL depeg and Liquidation Debate

(32:15) Merinade Plug

(33:26) Two Risk Management Philosophies

(40:26) Why Liquidator Profitability Is So Important

(50:38) Addressing the Twitter Drama

(01:06:25) Professional vs Lazy LPs & Token Governance

(01:12:49) Solana Airdrops and Points

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Follow Rooter: https://twitter.com/0xrooter

Follow Edgar: https://twitter.com/edgarpavlovsky

Follow Mert: https://twitter.com/0xMert_

Follow Garrett: https://twitter.com/GarrettHarper_

Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq

Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/43o3Syk

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Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OkF7PD

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

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Resources

Tarun's new article on risk management

https://www.gauntlet.xyz/resources/how-to-measure-risk-models-part-i

MarginFi

https://twitter.com/marginfi

https://app.marginfi.com/

Solend

https://twitter.com/solendprotocol

https://solend.fi/

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Disclaimers:

Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation.

Taproot Wizards: How to Solve Bitcoin's Branding Problem | Udi Wertheimer Dec 19, 2023

Show notes

Udi Wertheimer joins us to discuss Ordinals, Taproot Wizards and how to solve Bitcoin's branding problem. Udi is the co-founder of Taproot Wizards, a wildly successful Bitcoin NFT project that hopes to change Bitcoin's image and community. In this episode, we discuss the history of Bitcoin NFTs, how ordinals and inscriptions work, why Taproot Wizards has been so successful, Bitcoin L2s, the power of branding and more!

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Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home

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Timestamps

(00:00) Introduction

(01:35) The History of Bitcoin NFTs and Ordinals

(07:11) Ordinals vs Inscriptions

(11:05) Bitcoin’s Branding Problem

(28:07) DAS London Plug

(29:04) Bitcoin L2s: Lightning and Stacks

(35:54) The Future of Bitcoin

(46:05) Crypto Twitter and Bitcoin ETFs

(52:09) Rapid Fire

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Follow Udi: https://twitter.com/udiWertheimer

Follow Mert: https://twitter.com/0xMert_

Follow Garrett: https://twitter.com/GarrettHarper_

Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq

Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/43o3Syk

Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3OhiXgV

Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OkF7PD

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

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Resources

Taproot Wizards

https://twitter.com/TaprootWizards

https://taprootwizards.com/

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Disclaimers:

Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation.

Andre Cronje Unfiltered: The Founder of Yearn, Keeper Network and Fantom Dec 14, 2023

Show notes

Andre Cronje joins us to discuss his drive to build crypt applications with real use cases. Andre has one of the most incredible stories in crypto and is the founder of multiple blue chip projects (Yearn, Keeper Network, Fantom) and a prolific entrepreneur. In this episode, we discuss the ICO era, the launch of Yearn Finance, Andre's f*ck ups (self-proclaimed), why Andre has dedicated his focus to Fantom, Fantom's unique innovations, why airdrops suck, crypto regulation and more!

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Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home

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Timestamps

(00:00) Introduction

(01:24) The ICO Era: Andre's Start in Crypto

(13:07) Building Yearn Finance

(17:46) DAS London Plug

(18:43) F*ck Ups and Testing in Prod

(26:36) The Fantom L1: Making Software as Efficient as Possible

(53:23) Ethereum’s Scaling Roadmap

(58:11) Phantom’s Go-to-Market Strategy

(01:04:29) The SVM Is the Best Virtual Machine

(01:05:20) Airdrops, Regulation and Bull Market Predictions

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Follow Andre: https://twitter.com/AndreCronjeTech

Follow Mert: https://twitter.com/0xMert_

Follow Garrett: https://twitter.com/GarrettHarper_

Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq

Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/43o3Syk

Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3OhiXgV

Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OkF7PD

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

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Resources

Fantom

https://twitter.com/FantomFDN

https://fantom.foundation/

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Disclaimers:

Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation.

A Guide to Solana's New Paradigm | Mert Mumtaz, Garrett Harper Dec 12, 2023

Show notes

Solana just had one of the craziest weeks in its history. Jito's airdrop has created a wealth (and attention) effect that has captured all of crypto. What a week. In this episode, we cover Jito's token launch, Solana's airdrop season, finding value in the bull market, the integrated chain advantage, the nuances of client diversity and more!

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Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home

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Timestamps

(00:00) Introduction

(00:48) Jito and Solana's Airdrop Season

(13:44) Finding Signal in the Bull Market Noise

(22:56) DAS London Plug

(23:54) The Advantage of Integrated Chains

(29:29) Liveness and Client Diversity

(42:53) Solana Apps to Explore

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Follow Mert: https://twitter.com/0xMert_

Follow Garrett: https://twitter.com/GarrettHarper_

Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq

Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/43o3Syk

Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3OhiXgV

Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OkF7PD

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

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Resources

Jon Charb's latest research

https://dba.xyz/l1s-vs-l2s-rollups-vs-integrated-general-purpose-vs-app-specific/

Jupiter episode

https://spoti.fi/3TheHkn

BetDEX

https://www.betdex.com/

https://twitter.com/BetDEXLabs

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Disclaimers:

Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation.

Jupiter: The Aggregator Fueling Solana’s GDP | Meow Dec 07, 2023

Show notes

Meow, the co-founder of Jupiter, joins us to discuss how Jupiter is building crypto's leading aggregator. Jupiter is a DEX aggregator on Solana that routes over 80% of all DEX trades! It's an absolute killer app that has served as the entry to Solana's vast ecosystem. In this episode, we discuss how Jupiter found PMF, why Meow chose Solana, how Jupiter will onboard millions of users, Jupiter's airdrop, Solana's massive opportunity, multichain strategies and more!

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Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home

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Timestamps

(00:00) Introduction

(01:11) The Secret to Jupiter’s Success

(05:33) Why Solana Over Ethereum

(14:25) DAS London Plug

(15:22) Jupiter’s Massive Opportunity

(37:13) Jupiter’s Token Airdrop and Token Philosophy

(46:04) Advice for Crypto Founders

(50:06) L2s and a Multichain Future

(55:12) Routing Airdrops, Integrations and Growing the Pie

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Follow Meow: https://twitter.com/weremeow

Follow Mert: https://twitter.com/0xMert_

Follow Garrett: https://twitter.com/GarrettHarper_

Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq

Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/43o3Syk

Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3OhiXgV

Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OkF7PD

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

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Resources

Jupiter

https://twitter.com/JupiterExchange

https://jup.ag/

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Disclaimers:

Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation.

Size Matters: How Meteora Will Multiply Solana's TVL | Ben Chow Dec 05, 2023

Show notes

Ben Chow joins us to discuss how Meteora will multiply Solana's TVL. Ben is the co-founder of Meteora and a Solana DeFi OG. In this conversation, we discuss Meteora's origin story, why TVL matters, Meteora's 3-pronged plan to increase Solana's TVL, how Meteora prevents cascading risk, Solana's DeFi competition, how to launch a token and more!

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Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home

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Timestamps

(00:00) Introduction

(01:02) The Origin Story: From Mercurial to Meteora

(09:16) Building for Sustainable Yield

(11:33) Solana Needs TVL

(14:51) How to Use Meteora

(19:06) DAS LDN Plug

(20:04) Meteora’s 3-Pronged Plan to Grow TVL

(32:08) Composability and Cascading Risk

(40:31) Meteora’s DAO, Goals and Incentives

(44:49) Solana DeFi Competition

(48:13) Tips for Teams Launching Tokens

(51:58) Protocol Fees, Value Capture and POL

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Follow Ben: https://twitter.com/hellochow

Follow Mert: https://twitter.com/0xMert_

Follow Garrett: https://twitter.com/GarrettHarper_

Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq

Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/43o3Syk

Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3OhiXgV

Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OkF7PD

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

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Resources

Meteora

https://twitter.com/MeteoraAG

https://meteora.ag/

Lightspeed's first episode with Ben

https://spoti.fi/47EPS6p

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Disclaimers:

Lightspeed was kickstarted by a grant from the Solana Foundation.

How Hivemapper Can Outcompete Google Maps | Ariel Seidman Nov 30, 2023

Show notes

Ariel Seidman, CEO of Hivemapper, joins us to discuss how Hivemapper has built the most successful DePIN product in crypto. In just twelve months, Hivemapper has mapped over 6M unique road kilometers (10% of the world's roads!) and has over 25,000 contributors. In this episode, we discuss Hivemapper's origin story, how Hivemapper maps the world, Hivemapper's killer feature, what DePIN projects get wrong, founder lessons and more!

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Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home

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Timestamps

(00:00) Introduction

(01:12) Hivemapper’s Origin Story: From Drones to Dash Cams

(12:32) How Hivemapper Maps the World

(21:25) DAS London Plug

(22:23) Where Will Demand Come From?

(29:13) Why Solana and the DePIN Network Effect

(35:23) Hivemapper’s Main KPI

(37:10) The Biggest Challenges

(39:33) Costs and Potential Filecoin Integration

(42:52) Ariel’s Thoughts On Crypto Today

(45:30) Attracting Top Talent and Crypto’s Unlock

(51:12) Founder Lessons: Tolerance for Pain

(57:28) Rapid Fire

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Follow Ariel: https://twitter.com/aseidman

Follow Mert: https://twitter.com/0xMert_

Follow Garrett: https://twitter.com/GarrettHarper_

Follow Lightspeed: https://twitter.com/Lightspeedpodhq

Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/43o3Syk

Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3OhiXgV

Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OkF7PD

Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/

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Resources

Hivemapper

https://twitter.com/Hivemapper

Micropayments Are Crypto's Untapped Use Case | Ted Livingston (CEO of Code) Nov 28, 2023

Show notes

Ted Livingston joins us to discuss crypto's micropayments opportunity and Code's big announcement! Ted is a product legend who built the fastest-growing messenger app (Kik) and is now building the best payments experience in crypto. In this episode, we discuss the history of micropayments, how micropayments unlock new use cases, why Code uses Kin, why Code built an L2 on Solana, Ted's Bitcoin thesis and more!

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Learn more + get your ticket here: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london/home

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Timestamps

(00:00) Introduction

(00:55) Ted’s Story: Building The #1 Messaging App

(05:36) Crypto's Micropayments Opportunity

(20:52) DAS London Plug

(21:50) Breaking News: Code Is Officially Open Source

(30:15) Why Code Uses Kin, Not USDC

(40:39) Live Micropayments Demo

(43:08) Code’s 2024 Roadmap