The Crypto Conversation

Digital Gold - How CoinShares is positioning to become the crypto JP Morgan Jan 16, 2020

Show notes

Daniel Masters is the Executive Chairman at Coinshares, a leading digital asset management firm. The Coinshares Group manages nearly $700 million of assets on behalf of a global investor base. Daniel has a long history in the financial markets and was once the global head of energy and trading at JP Morgan. Now he wants to position CoinShares to be the crypto equivalent.

Why you should listen:

CoinShares is an umbrella company to some of the most innovative investment vehicles in the crypto space and Daniel has a bold vision for the next decade of blockchain.

Key takeaway:

Bitcoin is and will be complementary to the existing financial system. CoinShares have put physical gold on the bitcoin blockchain with the gold backed token DGLD.

Supporting links:

China and Blockchain - Why China sees blockchain as a strategic pillar for the next decade of growth Jan 07, 2020

Show notes

Matthew Graham is the CEO of Sino Global Capital, a team of Beijing-based investment bankers. China sees blockchain as a key strategic technology pillar critical to the next decade of growth. As it prepares to deploy a state-issued digital currency or DCEP (Digital Currency / Electronic Payment) China has a unique opportunity to take control of its monetary system and get a jump on other nation states. What are the implications for China and its citizens?

Why you should listen:

China's leaders are engineering-minded and technologically bold. China has a large influence on the crypto space. The majority of bitcoin mining is based in China, and China's changing stance towards crypto assets has tended to have an exaggerated effect on the volatile crypto markets. China sees blockchain very differently from the west and appears uniquely positioned to be the first large nation state to deploy a state-issued digital currency. Plus Andy and Matthew discuss Tokenization, Star Wars, sneaker trading.

Key takeaway:

A state-issued digital currency is a powerful idea. However, if combined with other technologies such as facial recognition, a social credit score, digital identity, and phone tracking, it would be an authoritarian method of control. State issued digital currency puts into stark relief the potential of an open, borderless, decentralized non-state issued digital currency such as Bitcoin.

Supporting links:

Sino Global Capital

Matthew on Twitter

The Aantonop Youtube Channel

Bitcoin 2020 - Andreas M. Antonopoulos reflects on the first decade of Bitcoin Dec 26, 2019

Show notes

Andreas M. Antonopoulos has spent the last decade traveling the world, delivering hundreds of live talks on Bitcoin. Combining his knowledge of economics, psychology, technology, and game theory with his unique views on politics and history, Andreas makes a compelling case for the importance of open, decentralized, borderless, censorship-resistant, neutral, public blockchains. As we enter the 2020s, Andreas reflects on the first decade of blockchain and asks what happens next?

Why you should listen:

Andreas M. Antonopoulos is a critically-acclaimed best-selling author, speaker, educator, and one of the world's foremost bitcoin and open blockchain experts. A prolific speaker, teacher, author and bitcoin advocate, Andreas says this has become his life mission. After achieving his goal of reaching 10 million people by 2020, his next goal is to reach 100 million by the end of 2022.

Key takeaway:

Bitcoin had an incredible first decade of existence. It started as an idea on a small cryptography email list and grew into the world's most valuable, decentralized blockchain network. Learn why Andreas describes himself as a Gen X who aspires to be a millennial. Andy and Andreas talk science fiction, discussing the dystopian near-future as depicted by Cory Doctorow, George Orwell, and Aldous Huxley. Finally, in the Crypto Conversation hot take section, Andreas says that The Next Generation is his favorite Star Trek universe.

Supporting links:

Aantonop.com

Andreas on Twitter

Unauthorized Bread

The Brave New Coin Chainlink

Smart Contracts - How Sergey Nazarov & Chainlink are solving the oracle problem Dec 19, 2019

Show notes

Sergey Nazarov is the CEO at Chainlink where he is spear-heading the smart contract oracle revolution. Sergey believes that blockchain technology has the ability to change the way societies distribute wealth, enforce contracts, and share, monetize, and utilize critical information. Relentlessly focused and logical, Sergey is single-minded in his approach to unleashing the true potential of smart contracts.

Key takeaway:

Smart contracts have the potential to change the world by making it possible for anyone to enter into a digital agreement with anyone else. But there's a problem - for the potential of smart contracts to truly be unleashed - they need a reliable way to connect with events in the real world - this is called the 'oracle problem.' An oracle's function is to find and verify real-world occurrences and provide this data to a blockchain based smart contract in a manner that is decentralized and not vulnerable to a single point of failure. This is the solution that Chainlink provides.

Why you should listen:

Sergey says that the blockchain space is in an early form and has a long way to evolve, he is committed to helping this process. He sees smart contracts as an extremely reliable form of automation that has the potential to unlock vast amounts of value across the existing financial system, and also improve emerging markets by enabling individuals to pursue their economic destiny in whatever manner they see fit. Finally, in the Crypto Conversation hot take section, Sergey explains his passion for science fiction and the Star Trek and Expanse universes.

Supporting links:

Chainlink

Nick Szabo Smart Contract Essay

Chainlink on Twitter

Sergey on Twitter

Ethereum Price Forecast 2020 Report

Ethereum 2020 - A price forecast based on a data first approach Dec 14, 2019

Show notes

Chris Brookins is the author of a new report - Ethereum Price Forecast into 2020 - a data first analysis. The report assess Ethereum's tumultuous 2019 and attempts to address the question - is an ETH price reprieve on the horizon? Against the backdrop of the Ethereum 2.0 Serenity blockchain upgrade, Andy and Chris discuss how the Ethereum team plan to maintain the network's position as the leading smart contract platform blockchain and how this might lead to a new bull cycle for the ETH token.

Key takeaway:

Ethereum has had a tumultuous 2019 and there are further growing pains ahead. The upcoming, long-anticipated launch of Ethereum 2.0 in January will be the most important and comprehensive update in the network's history. The 2.0 launch will reconfigure and adjust many existing Ethereum network dynamics. Chris's report analyzes Ethereum's seasonal characteristics and uses the Hurst exponent to tease out a likely trajectory in 2020. We verify the fundamental metrics driving price and assess their implications for the future of the Ethereum network.

Why you should listen:

Chris Brookins is the Founder and CIO of Valiendero Digital Assets, a quantitative cryptocurrency investment fund founded out of Carnegie Mellon University. Andy and Chris discuss Nike's patent to tokenize sneakers on Ethereum, Chris gives his assessment of Plan B's Bitcoin stock to flow model and he shares a view on what he expects to happen around the Bitcoin halving. Finally, Andy and Chris geek out over The Expanse and agree that it is an accurate depiction of a dystopian near future.

Supporting links:

Ethereum At The Crossroads Report

Valiendero

Chris on Twitter

Atomic DEX - How the Komodo Decentralized Exchange enables atomic swaps Dec 09, 2019

Show notes

Kadan Stadelmann is the Komodo Platform's Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Kadan's background includes coding from an early age which led to him becoming a white-hat hacker and operations security and penetration testing at the nation-state level. Komodo has conducted the world's first web browser-based atomic swap and is expanding its decentralized exchange solution, AtomicDEX, to web browsers. The atomic swap is a smart contract technology that allows users to trade digital assets without any third-party involvement.

Key takeaway:

To date, most decentralized exchange solutions have been clunky and lacking in users. Komodo says that the AtomicDEX is now the industry leader. Komodo has been working on atomic swaps since 2014 and has collaborated with their inventor, Tier Nolan. In the last four months, Komodo has launched the first DEX for mobile phones, on-boarded thousands of users, and executed the first web browser-based atomic swap. Komodo is on a mission to make it so that if you want to trade crypto without a middleman, you can do it by typing in a URL or pulling out your phone."

Why you should listen:

Hear why Kadan's experience working in op-sec at the nation-state level led to a realization that trustless, decentralized solutions are the most effective means to change the world. Plus, hear Kadan's diplomatic assessment of the McAfeeDEX, and learn why Kadan is extremely pessimistic about humanity's future.

Supporting links:

Die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain

Notsofast - How putting on a mask gives you crypto superpowers Nov 28, 2019

Show notes

Notsofast is the pseudonymous Twitter persona of a crypto OG. Notsofast was a prolific early altcoin spec miner, a dogecoin enthusiast and one of Crypto Twitter's most helpful personalities. Notsofast is a consultant to many blockchain projects and an advocate for the potential of decentralized, permissionless systems. An insightful and engaging speaker Notsofast says it's important to get friendly with the idea of cognitive dissonance.

Key takeaway:

Deploying a pseudonymous persona gives the individual a blank canvas to build a solid reputation by setting a good example. This is a kind of superpower. Notsofast's entry into crypto came via Dogecoin, a fun community and an entry into the space that allowed users to not take themselves too seriously, or have to engage with fringe political beliefs. Notsofast has approximately 300 altcoin bags and believes that while Bitcoin maximalism is a strong argument for the success of blockchain generally, there is a part of it that descends into groupthink meaning nuanced discussion is lost.

Why you should listen:

Hear why Dogecoin is an oscillator that has proven store of nostalgia properties, and while Notsofast was once a prolific spec miner, hobbyist mining opportunities are rare now that anyone can launch their own token. Notsofast says it's important to get friendly with cognitive dissonance and he uses the Indian parable of the blind men and the elephant to illustrate the difficulties of grokking the crypto asset space. Plus Andy and Notsofast discuss Willy Woo's Oscillators and Degenerators thesis, why families might be natural crypto custodians and the practicalities of securing 300 different altcoin holdings.

Supporting links:

Notsofast at CoinfestUK

Willy Woo's Oscillators and Degenerators

The parable of the blind men and an elephant

The Wasp Factory

Cryptochrisw on Twitter

Notsofast on Twitter

Unbank Yourself - How DeFi & Crypto Banking help Bitcoin cross the chasm Nov 24, 2019

Show notes

Alex Mashinsky is a successful entrepreneur best known for inventing VOIP which enables 1B people to talk over the internet for free. VOIP disrupted the Telecom companies, and now Alex wants to disrupt the banks with Money Over IP. His newest start-up Celsius Network has a massive goal - allow crypto users to unbank themselves by depositing crypto with Celsius, and receive interest rates on crypto deposits or fiat loans that are far superior to legacy banking.

Key takeaway:

Alex Mashinsky is a fascinating guy with a fascinating background. He was born into communism, raised under socialism, and he has made a fortune via capitalism. Alex views Decentralization as a 4th system - and the one system that has the potential to benefit the 99%, not just the 1%. Is there a theme running through Alex's career? Yes. The theme is taking a risk, trusting your gut, and trying to change the world by disrupting an entire industry. Alex has done this once, and now he wants to do it again. First the Telecom companies, and now the banks.

Why you should listen:

Alex is positioning Celsius to bring mainstream users into the crypto ecosystem by offering financial services with rates superior to the legacy system, and to the emerging DeFi ecosystem. Alex has a long history of successful investments and missed opportunities. In fact, in a roundabout way, Alex founded Uber before it was Uber, it was called GroundLink, and he then got crushed by Uber.

Alex has 50 patents that make everything from voice over internet, Twitter, Skype, the App Store, and Netflix streaming possible. Alex has made 120 VC investments, he's raised over a billion dollars for his companies, and Alex has achieved exits to the value of $3 billion.

Supporting links:

Institutional Infrastructure - How crypto prime dealers access liquidity for Bitcoin whales Nov 20, 2019

Show notes

Danny Kim is Head of Growth at SFOX, a crypto trading platform and prime dealer for whale traders and institutional investors. SFOX is connected to 20+ exchanges and OTC desks to provide a single point of access to the crypto markets. SFOX was one of only two crypto companies to make Y Combinator's list of the Top 100 most valuable companies to come out of its accelerator program.

Key takeaway:

A prime dealer provides a single point of liquidity to all the major crypto exchanges, a vital access point for large whale traders and institutional investors. The prime dealer model is an evolution in the Bitcoin and crypto markets as more sophisticated traders demand a more comprehensive liquidity solution via a single trading platform. The exact amount of OTC volume is unknown but may be up to 70% of the market.

Why you should listen:

Danny explains the animal-inspired suite of SFOX algorithms - Polar Bear, Tortoise, Hare, and the Gorilla. He says the institutions are coming, however, it's a slow and steady process due to the complex requirements of the larger pension funds and custodial clients. In the Crypto Conversation hot take round, Danny says he is a fan of Andrew Yang, and his favorite science fiction film is Interstellar.

Supporting links:

SFOX

SFOX on Twitter

SFOX-Crypto-Volatility-Report