Social Block

Episode #23: The Re-staking Revolution with Mike Silagadze, CEO & Founder of EtherFi Jul 02, 2024

Ever wondered what the big deal is with staking, solo staking, re-staking, liquid staking, and even liquid re-staking? If yes, (or if just the list of all these concepts intimidates you 😀) then this is the perfect Social Block episode for you.
Meet Mike Silagadze, CEO and Founder of EtherFi – the renown decentralized, non-custodial liquid staking platform! Mike sat down with Magy for a dedicated episode on all things staking on Ethereum. Buckle up, ‘cause here we go! 👇
Here’s what you can look forward to in this episode:
🙆 The key differences and similarities between staking, re-staking, liquid staking, and all its other shapes and forms?
🌟 Solo staking: Why it’s not currently very accessible and why we must democratize it!
👍 Ethereum ETF(s): Their (surprise?) approval, effect on the space, and more.
🔑 How EtherFi allows users to retain their private keys while staking and why this is so important.
More information about EtherFi: http://ether.fi
And finally, follow Magy and the Social Block:
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Send your feedback, topics, and guest suggestions to: socialblock@nexo.com

Episode #22: Bitcoin DeFi & Bitcoin-based Stablecoins with Jakob Schillinger, Founder and CEO of Hermetica Labs Jun 11, 2024

This time on the Social Block, we dive into the fascinating world of Bitcoin DeFi and Bitcoin-based stablecoins, exploring their potential and impact on the ecosystem.
Joining us is Jakob Schillinger, Founder and CEO of Hermetica whose expertise as a builder and active participant in the blockchain space recently led to the launch of the very first Bitcoin-based stablecoin.
Here’s what you can look forward to in this episode:
🎉 Bitcoin-based Stablecoins! The rationale behind creating a stablecoin that can live on the Bitcoin blockchain.
👀 Why stablecoins are outpacing even Bitcoin adoption in growth.
📊Bitcoin DeFi: The thriving DeFi economy on Bitcoin and stats around TVL in DeFi
🌅Why Jakob thinks we are exiting what he calls “the Bitcoin Dark Ages”, marking a new era for Bitcoin.
And finally, follow Magy and the Social Block:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@social.block
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HristovaMagy

Send your feedback, topics, and guest suggestions to: socialblock@nexo.com

Episode #21: Post-Halving Play-by-Play with Allen Farrington May 31, 2024

It’s been a month since the Bitcoin halving. The dust has settled, we’re past the supposed 2-week danger zone for BTC prices. All in all, it’s a good time to look back and see what happened in the ecosystem and where we’re headed from here.
Have a listen to our post-halving episode where Magy was joined by none other than Allen Farrington, co-author of Bitcoin Is Venice.
The episode features stories from how the Nexo team spent the halving, a breakdown of events following it, and after the end of the episode, a short bonus discussion of how Allen came to publish Bitcoin is Venice. What we covered:
🤨 Was the halving priced in, what part ETFs played and why we shouldn’t fixate on the price.
🎢 The rollercoaster ride in the first days after the halving: the launch of Runes, transaction fees ups and downs, and mainstream vs. crypto newsflows.
⛄ Why the Bitcoin halving is like Soviet Christmas – bear with us on this one, t’was a fun analogy.
🐦 Why Twitter (X) is not real life, but Bitcoin will become the infrastructure for our lives.
🎉 How Allen, Magy and the Nexo team spent the 2024 Bitcoin halving. (Clues: 😴& 🚗)
And finally, follow Magy and the Social Block:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@social.block
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HristovaMagy

Send your feedback, topics, and guest suggestions to: socialblock@nexo.com

Episode #20: DeFi Points Farming & Stuff with Dan from Pendle May 13, 2024

Wondering what all the buzz about DeFi points farming is about? Us too. In Episode #20, we dial into the heart of one of DeFi's currently much-contended trends, exploring how points aren't just digital tallies but pivotal opportunities for loyalty and reward.
Join Dan from Pendle – the permissionless yield-trading protocol – and Magy as they pinpoint (pun intended 😎) exactly how these mechanisms are reshaping the landscape of digital finance.
In this episode:
⛓️ Yield tokenization and trading! How Pendle creates new investment opportunities by separating a token into two parts – its principal and its yield.
🌟 Why DeFi’s points’ trends are essentially a tool for rewards based on user loyalty.
🎯 A behind-the-scenes on The Hunt for $12M in NEXO Tokens – Nexo’s own take on points.
🎁 What can points be redeemed for beyond airdrops?
🎭 Is gamification needed and beneficial in a points-based system? How playful should we be?
And finally, follow Magy and the Social Block:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@social.block
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HristovaMagy

Send your feedback, topics, and guest suggestions to: socialblock@nexo.com

Episode #19: Gaming Wars? Web3 v. Big Tech with Can Picak from Eldarune Apr 30, 2024

For Episode #19 of the Social Block, we ventured back into the space of Web3 gaming to complete our quest to learn its value. Our guide was Can Picak, CEO and Co-founder of DIGA Labs and popular Web3 game development company – Eldarune.
Can and Magy teamed up to complete the following quests together (just kidding, they just talked about these topics):
🧩 Why interoperability is a vital feature for Web3 games.
🎮 How gaming will be a profession in the future far more than it already is now.
🇹🇷 The crypto scene in Turkey.
🏙️ Is Big Tech moving into Web3, and if so, how 🧐?
⏳ Will the Bitcoin halving affect the Web3 gaming sector in the long term?
Extra Links:
Eldarune: https://www.eldarune.com/
Can’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/canpicak/
And finally, follow Magy and the Social Block:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@social.block
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HristovaMagy

Send your feedback, topics, and guest suggestions to: socialblock@nexo.com

Episode #18: The Halving & the Hype with Joe Nakamoto Apr 19, 2024

What’s up in the crypto space? Bitcoin halving!
If you’re still a little frazzled by that fact, then it might help to sit back and listen to the Social Block episode dedicated to the halving. Magy celebrated the landmark event with a discussion on the Bitcoin halving as explained by Bitcoin advocate and independent journalist, Joe Nakamoto (no relation to Satoshi, unfortunately).
Joe and Magy talked about:
🎓 Bitcoin halving 101: The basics about the halving, plus common misconceptions.
📖 Tales of halvings past…and present. Joe and Magy shared their experiences of halving events.
⛏️ Bitcoin mining: How the halving will affect miners and the complexity of the mining sector.
🎄 In a perhaps-not-so-dystopian future will the Bitcoin halving be celebrated like Christmas?
🌪 Is the hype around each Bitcoin halving good or bad?
Extra Links:
Joe’s documentary on Witsand, which we mentioned a couple of times in the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp2SonEgquQ
And finally, follow Magy and the Social Block:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@social.block
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HristovaMagy

Send your feedback, topics, and guest suggestions to: socialblock@nexo.com

Episode #17: Blockchain’s Backbone – Nodes & More with Eugene Aseev, CTO and Founder of Chainstack Apr 09, 2024

In this episode of Social Block, we’re putting the spotlight on the guardians of blockchain infrastructure, namely nodes. From there, this session also touches on what our host Magy likes to call “the spectrum of decentralization.” Meanwhile, our guest, Eugene Asseev, the Founder and CTO of Chainstack, the Web3 development stack designed for building scalable applications, shares why he thinks blockchain should become… well, boring.
Here’s what Eugene and Magy talked about:
🏗️ The place and importance of infrastructure providers in the blockchain space.
🗝️ Nodes. What are they & what is the difference between full, archive & other types of nodes?
⚖️ Is usability a trade-off of decentralization?
🤦‍♀️ Magy’s latest ChatGPT blunders.
🐶 Why we – the people in the industry – need to start dogfooding crypto and blockchain.
And finally, follow Magy and the Social Block:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@social.block
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HristovaMagy

Send your feedback, topics, and guest suggestions to: socialblock@nexo.com

Episode #16: Zero Knowledge & the Future of Trust with Pavel Sinelnikov from ZKM.io Mar 13, 2024

If you have zero knowledge about zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs), this episode is for you.
For this session, Social Block host Magy made it her prerogative to learn more about ZKPs, exploring what they are from a technical standpoint, as well as their use cases. To help her, she had ZMK.io’s Pavel Sinelnikov who specializes in the development of zkMIPs solutions, and took the time to unpack the complexity of a technology that is finding crucial application in the blockchain space.
In this episode, Magy and Pavel started with a breakdown of ZKPs as a technology, and then moved on to its applications and more philosophical questions:
⁉️ Did you know zero-knowledge proofs can be used for more than just privacy? (Magy didn’t).
🤔 Can zero-knowledge proofs prove anything?
😱 Types of zero-knowledge proofs – i.e. interactive vs. non-interactive, zkSTARKs, zkSNARKs.
🧩 Use cases for ZKPs specifically for blockchain – think Layer 2s, batching, rollups, and lower gas fees.
🪐 How zero-knowledge proofs can change the concept of trust in the future.
And finally, follow Magy and the Social Block:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@social.block
Тwitter: https://twitter.com/HristovaMagy

Send your feedback, topics, and guest suggestions to: socialblock@nexo.com

Social Block – Episode #15: The Future = AR/VR + AI + Web3? with Aragorn Meulendijks (Mr. Metaverse) Feb 25, 2024

Today the Social Block is getting more techy and more philosophical with an episode dedicated to how Web3, paired with augmented and virtual realities, as well as AI will shape the future.
Now, imagining the future is no easy feat and to help Magy trudge through the many possibilities before humanity, we had Aragorn Meulendijks, more popularly known as Mr. Metaverse. As a historian turned futurist, Aragorn dedicates a lot of his time theorizing about what’s to come.
Aragorn’s vision of the future, definitely includes Web3, making this the perfect listen for our community. He and Magy discussed:
💰 What will the currency of the future be?
💡 Can AI have ideas?
👓 Are we going to live in a virtual world or will augmented reality be all the rage?
🦾 Brain-computer interfaces (BCI) and will humans become cyborgs?
🧒 At what point in our education should we introduce AI, and AR?VR?
Useful resources (as promised):
A talk by Aragorn worth watching about the future:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtjbjI7fJ1k
The sources about Organoid intelligence (biological AI) that we couldn’t remember the names of: https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamhaseltine/2023/04/28/forget-ai-organoid-intelligence-may-soon-power-our-computers/?sh=58d6b0605240
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/science/articles/10.3389/fsci.2023.1017235/full
And finally, follow Magy and the Social Block:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@social.block
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HristovaMagy

Send your feedback, topics, and guest suggestions to: socialblock@nexo.com

Episode #14: Women in Crypto 2.0 with Gracy Chen from Bitget Feb 11, 2024

It’s yet another Social Block episode, we unravel the layers behind the funding landscape for female-led blockchain projects, the strides we're making towards inclusivity, and why this will boost the industry overall.
The brilliant Gracy Chen, Managing Partner at Bitget, joins Magy in a second episode dedicated to women in crypto. Gracy has dedicated her time to addressing diversity in the industry, specifically by spearheading the Blockchain4Her initiative to uplift female entrepreneurs.
What to expect in this episode? Well, there was a lot of ground to cover, but we started with:
🚨The Problem: Gracy and Magy discuss potential reasons why, in 2023, only 6% of VC-funded blockchain startups were women-led via insights from recent reports.
👍Solutions: How Gracy and the Bitget team are structuring solutions for the gender gap via the Blockchain4Her initiative.
🌱And Tips: Success stories and examples from Gracy throughout her journey in the industry.
Useful Links from the episode:
For Bitget’s latest report on VC funding trends for female-led startups: https://www.bitget.com/blog/articles/bitget-report-the-gender-gap-in-blockchain-startup-funding
And finally, follow Magy and the Social Block:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@social.block
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HristovaMagy

Send your feedback, topics, and guest suggestions to: socialblock@nexo.com

Episode #13: Consumers Rising with Azeem Khan of Morph Jan 28, 2024

The podcast is back 😎, kicking off 2024 with a fresh perspective.
In today’s episode, we invite you to step into the shoes of the non-technical crypto enthusiast and entrepreneur. Magy’s guest is Azeem Khan, COO of Morph with a background in blockchain that also includes Gitcoin, consulting at UNICEF's Crypto Venture Fund, and working with the World Economic Forum
In Episode #13, Magy and Azeem chat about the intersection of AI and user experience as well as blockchain education, making these complex topics accessible and engaging for everyone.
📱UX on the Rise: Exploring the shift from command-based to intent-based user interfaces, simplifying tech interactions and how they might affect blockchain.
🎓Education for Blockchain: The reason understanding the 'why' behind blockchain technology is as crucial as knowing 'how' to use it.
🗣 Non-Tech Talk: Addressing the need for soft skills and human connections in the blockchain space to drive wider adoption.
Useful Links from the episode:
For more on UX and UI, follow Nexo’s Head of Product Design, Vladimir Yordanov: https://twitter.com/vladyyordanov
Find Morph and Azeem on Twitter and LinkedIn:
https://twitter.com/MorphL2
https://www.linkedin.com/in/theazeemkhan/
And finally, follow Magy and the Social Block:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@social.block
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HristovaMagy

Send your feedback, topics, and guest suggestions to: socialblock@nexo.com

Episode #12: Blockchain & Crypto for Social Impact with Niall Dennehy of AIDTech (Holiday Special) Dec 26, 2023

This special episode is a great reminder of the immense power we hold when we come together to support and uplift communities in need. Niall gave many examples of how the blockchain space can contribute to this endeavor, with highlights in the conversation such as:
🆔 DID Revolution: transforming disaster relief disbursements with decentralized digital identity
🫶 Payments: Merging digital identity with payments
🏅 Reputation through NFTs: rewarding real-world actions and building on-chain reputation
📖 Niall shares how blockchain brings tangible change worldwide
Follow Magy and the Social Block:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@social.block
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HristovaMagy

Send your feedback, topics, and guest suggestions to: socialblock@nexo.com

Episode #11: The Subtle Art of DYOR with Dyma Budorin of Hacken Dec 12, 2023

Dyma and Magy covered quite a lot in this episode, starting from a rather more ideological conversation on the modern concept of trust – a.k.a trustlessness, and circling back to Dyma’s practical tips and tricks on researching your way through Web3 waters. Key topics included:
🔍 Not just why, but how to DYOR.
📊 Stats! Find out what percentage of projects have verified smart contracts and follow their initial whitepaper plans. The numbers are surprising and important to know.
⚖️ The blockchain dilemma on whether or not we want entities and institutions for protection against hackers and scammers over our desire for decentralized autonomy.
🏗️ The knowledge gap between Web3 developers and those who cannot read code as a key speedbump to DYOR.
Follow Magy and the Social Block:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@social.block
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HristovaMagy

Send your feedback, topics, and guest suggestions to: socialblock@nexo.com

Episode #10: Web3: the Ultimate Kickstarter for Startups with Eric Winer of Pagoda/NEAR Nov 28, 2023

Fill out the Social Block survey for better episodes tailored to you: https://nexo-finance.typeform.com/to/L7M5L3Qe
This week, Magy sat down with Eric Winer from NEAR. Eric is the CTO of Pagoda – the NEAR ecosystem’s development arm, which is making startup-building in the blockchain space user-friendly, more interconnected, and, just, well, better.
🫢Why the existence of blockchain alone isn't sufficient for creating great apps and what tools the space still needs to be more builder-friendly.
🤖 How automation, which is part of Web3’s very DNA will catapult startups building in the space.
🧑‍💼The notable gap between mainstream founders and the decentralized community, and how we ought to bridge it.
🏛️The dominance of and potential issues with relying too much on a few Web2 tech giants.
Follow Magy and the Social Block:
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/HristovaMagy

Send your feedback, topics, and guest suggestions to: socialblock@nexo.com

Episode #9: The Rise of Bitcoin Ordinals & Ethscriptions with Andrea Chang from NGC Ventures Nov 14, 2023

Fill out the Social Block survey for better episodes tailored to you: https://nexo-finance.typeform.com/to/L7M5L3Qe
Beyond the rather saucy title, this episode is actually about the potential behind Bitcoin Layer 2s, making the chain more like Ethereum, of course, with Bitcoin’s signature qualities intact. Andrea and Magy also discuss DeFi’s potential, a little about the importance of narratives in the blockchain space, and trends in the Asian market. Some highlights:
🌟Intentional inclusion: Why giving opportunities to women that would have otherwise been given to men is crucial for industry progression.
🔍Risk assessment: Why women's unique approach to evaluating risks is increasingly being valued in the blockchain space.
💼Trends among female investors: Namely, extensive research, risk assessment, a notable confidence gap, and a tendency for long-term investments (HODLing).
💡The systemic issue of limited VC capital for female-founded projects.
Follow Magy and the Social Block:
TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@social.block
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HristovaMagy

Send your feedback, topics, and guest suggestions to: socialblock@nexo.com

Episode #8: Women in Crypto with Amanda Wick of the AWIC Oct 31, 2023

Fill out the Social Block survey for better episodes tailored to you: https://nexo-finance.typeform.com/to/...
In this inspiring, and (hopefully) industry-changing discussion, Magy and Amanda dissect crucial topics surrounding women's growing influence in the cryptosphere, such as:
🌟Intentional inclusion: Why giving opportunities to women that would have otherwise been given to men is crucial for industry progression.
🔍Risk assessment: Why women's unique approach to evaluating risks is increasingly being valued in the blockchain space.
💼Trends among female investors: Namely, extensive research, risk assessment, a notable confidence gap, and a tendency for long-term investments (HODLing).
💡The systemic issue of limited VC capital for female-founded projects.
This episode is a must-listen, not just for those invested in crypto, but for anyone interested in the dynamics of gender, equity, and technological innovation in modern industries.
Follow Magy and the Social Block:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@social.block
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HristovaMagy

Send your feedback, topics, and guest suggestions to: socialblock@nexo.com

Episode #7: OSS & Blockchain: Communities & Progress with Max Howell from tea.xyz Oct 16, 2023

Magy and Max Howell, developer of Homebrew and CEO of tea.xyz, break down the connection between open-source software and blockchain, digging into the nuts and bolts of how community-led software development has been the linchpin in the innovation and ethos of many chains and decentralized ecosystems. In this episode:

🤑How blockchain can change the way open-source devs are compensated for their work.

🐝Why the “hive mind” community thinking inherent in OSS skyrockets progress in blockchain.

🌱How open source and blockchain developers’ non-financial impetus for creating software has shaped the decentralized ethos of our space

Follow Magy and the Social Block:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@social.block
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HristovaMagy

Send your feedback, topics, and guest suggestions to: socialblock@nexo.com

Episode #6: Why Do Blockchain & AI Vibe So Well? with Toufi Saliba from Hypercycle Oct 02, 2023

Toufi joined Magy on the Social Block, lending his extensive experience in AI to explain where this industry is headed, and why the blockchain space appears both extensively interested in, and capable of boosting AI’s ascent. The episode explores:

🛠️ Why AI is actually creating more jobs than it is taking away.

🌐 Why a decentralized, peer-to-peer model like blockchain’s can skyrocket us from just AI to…

🧠 AGI! (artificial general intelligence).
Follow Magy and the Social Block:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@social.block
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HristovaMagy

Send your feedback, topics, and guest suggestions to: socialblock@nexo.com

Episode #5: The Social Impact of CBDCs with Conor Brady from Ethereum Brazil Sep 19, 2023

Conor and Magy talked extensively about CBDCs with a focus on the digital real in Brazil. The project for this CBDC is already being piloted and its potential for adoption and use once it goes live is quite high. Learn more about the digital real and how CBDCs can affect a country, its citizens and the world beyond in this episode. Highlights include:

🤝 How the digital real can improve access to banking for small businesses & individuals in Brazil.

🔗 The link between the Brazilian digital real and its PIX payment system.

💸 The potential and motivation for de-dollarization via the digital real.

🇧🇷 Why Brazil is a great place for banking according to Conor.

Follow Magy and the Social Block:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@social.block
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HristovaMagy

Send your feedback, topics, and guest suggestions to: socialblock@nexo.com

Episode #4: So You Wanna Start a Crypto Reality TV Show? with Jett Tang from The Hourglass Collective Sep 05, 2023

This time, Magy met with Jett Tang, president of The Hourglass Collective and executive producer of “The Next Crypto Gem” – a brand new reality TV show.
Magy and guest Jett unraveled the motivation and importance of creating a TV show about crypto, as well as its goal of bringing the industry into the mainstream, breaking harmful stereotypes, and boosting adoption. Jett also reveals some behind-the-scenes stories and hilarious production blips.

Send your feedback, topics, and guest suggestions to: socialblock@nexo.com

Episode #3: Will Web3 Gaming Take Over Reality? with Ian Bentley from WAGMI Games Aug 15, 2023

We finally have a not-so-financial podcast episode. Our host Magy converses with Ian Bentley, CEO of WAGMI Games, as they explore our new realities and whether Web3 gaming will take over the (real) world.
Web3 gaming refers to decentralized projects where players have ownership of in-game assets, like a skin for your character or a rare item. Where it differs from more traditional games is the features including transparency, ownership and interoperability, in-game economy, and new monetization methods.
Magy and Ian go over the role of NFTs (a “three-letter bad word” according to Ian) in these games, grinding, digital collectible ownership, in-game economies, gaming as a % of global entertainment revenue, and so much more than meets the eye. Sit back, relax, and play the episode.
Follow the Social Block host Magy Hristova on X: @HristovaMagy

Send your feedback, topics, and guest suggestions to: socialblock@nexo.com

Episode #2: Will Blockchain Blur Country Borders? with Esteban Villegas from Zulu Aug 01, 2023

Before you decide that this episode is about starting a new global federation, we'll just say it's actually about cross-border transactions – not just of money, but of any kind really.

In this episode, Magy talks to Esteban Villegas, CEO & Co-founder of Zulu, and together they go through how blockchain can be handy for remittances, and transferring money internationally fast.

Of course, since it is the Social Block we also talked about how blockchain's potential to transcend borders can help with other aspects of life like getting university degrees verified abroad, tracking international supply chains, and much more.

Follow the Social Block host Magy Hristova on X: @HristovaMagy

Send your feedback, topics, and guest suggestions to: socialblock@nexo.com

Episode #1: Who Owns Your Money? With Shahar Zohar from Fireblocks Jul 03, 2023

Dive into our very first episode “Who Owns Your Money?” with guest Shahar Zohar from Fireblocks.

So what does blockchain bring to the table when it comes to the delicate balance between personal ownership and institutional custodianship, and why do we think money ownership is a spectrum rather than a black-and-white concept? Listen to find out.

In this episode, we redefine money ownership in a world of fiat, banks, stablecoins, CBDCs, cryptocurrencies, and even Web3 and NFTs, exploring the transformative potential of blockchain through self-custody and sovereignty, and the role of custodial solutions.

Follow Social Block host Magdalena Hristova on Twitter: @HristovaMagy

Send your feedback, topics, and guest suggestions to: socialblock@nexo.com

Social Block Episode #1 Coming Soon! Jun 26, 2023

This is the Social Block, your new destination for exploring the riveting intersection of blockchain technology, cryptocurrency, and society. Our inaugural episode, "Who Owns Your Money," is coming soon, so stay tuned and get ready to reimagine the world around you with the Social Block.

Send your feedback, topics, and guest suggestions to: socialblock@nexo.com

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